Manager Mick McCarthy believes Wales U21 international Elliott Hewitt has returned to the club an improved player having spent much of last season on loan with League One Gillingham. The 20-year-old could start today’s opening match of the season at home to Fulham at right midfield with the Blues short of wide options with Paul Anderson, Cameron Stewart and Stephen Hunt all injured.

“Elliott’s come back to pre-season training much improved, having played some football for Gillingham last year,” McCarthy said.

“I’m really pleased with him, he’s doing very, very well. He looks more mature, he looks a better player, he looks stronger and just better about himself.”

Hewitt, who made 20 appearances while at the Priestfield Stadium, started 2013/14 in the Town side but was one of a number of players to drop out at the end of August as McCarthy rung the changes following a disappointing first few games.

The Town boss says Hewitt, who has made seven starts and five sub appearances for the Blues since signing from Macclesfield in the summer of 2012, was a touch unlucky.

“I think Elliott was one of the unfortunate ones. He didn’t play that badly but I just put a tougher back four in.”

McCarthy hints that Hewitt could be used in midfield rather than his more usual right-back position against Fulham, having started in that role in last week’s friendly at Leyton Orient.

“He’s an attacking full-back, for sure,” the Blues boss added. “That was probably his forte, rather than his defending, although I think he’s improved on that and has improved all-round as a player having come back.

“He’s particularly good going forward. He started there last week because of the shortage of wide midfielders and he’s got a chance on Saturday.”

McCarthy has also been impressed by another of Town’s other younger players: “Jack Marriott’s had a good pre-season, he’s really trim and fit and stronger. He’s doing well, I’m pleased with him.”

Meanwhile, the Blues boss says extending the contracts of the likes of Christophe Berra and David McGoldrick hasn’t been seriously looked at so far: “That’s not been the focus, trying to do that. We want to get the season started. If we have a good start, that helps in any negotiation if we have to get into it.”

Photo: Action Images

therein61 added 06:51 - Aug 9 A good position for him as he can dovetail with chambers who still worries me at full back.
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muccletonjoe added 08:07 - Aug 9 I will be well chuffed if marriOtt and Hewitt start this game, don't know if that is what mm is hinting at. But at least he recognises they deserve their chance
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scottrock added 08:19 - Aug 9 Really excited to see the first line up of the new season. I reckon it'll be Gerken Mings Smith Berra Chambers Hewitt Skuse Hyam Henshall Murphy Bajner. I'd prefer not to have Hyam and Skuse but short in midfield!
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floridaboy added 08:32 - Aug 9 Short in midfield? Wordsworth for Hyam plus Wordsworth is good at set plays. Otherwise like it!
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jas0999 added 09:00 - Aug 9 With a very very small squad, injuries and with the owner seemingly having little intention to bring in replacements or reinvest the Cresswell money ( the savings on wages from those leaving will probably only level out to those new arrivals at best) ... Mick will have to rely on the likes of Hewitt. Praising him in the press is excellent man management and will hopefully get the best out of him.

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Cloddyseedbed added 09:08 - Aug 9 I hope Hewitt gets a fair chance this season as last season he definitely did not! He has probably matured more by going out on loan though.
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TimmyH added 09:20 - Aug 9 Yep he defo deserves more of a run in the first team, I certainly believe Mick has no alternative but to keep him here at PR this season as the squad is so thread bare. Hope he has a good season.
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Kentish_Tractor added 09:48 - Aug 9 I think right midfield suits Hewitt more. At right-back he is all over the shop positionally. I saw the West Ham game and he had no idea where Matt Jarvis was half the time down his side and let him get in several dangerous crosses. With his pace, stamina and good crossing I think he's better suited to playing in front of a more experienced full-back (not Chambo though, he's too slow for that position). Still a right-back needed in my eyes - that's a priority.

0

pippaine1 added 10:04 - Aug 9 Watched for Gillingham v MKDONS he played midfield and stood out as an exciting busy player, not afraid to have a shot and tackled well in defence, won't disappoint if played today.
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Monkey_Blue added 10:23 - Aug 9 jas0999 I suspect we are spending up to the limit of FFP based on income with ME putting the maximum amount in... I have no problem with that at all. MM has funds if he chooses to use them. ME wants to get the club on a more sound footing the absolute moron???? He also sponsors the team which allows him to put more in. I work in advertising and as an efficient spend of money...sponsoring town isn't it. They are mainly (ME Group) a B2B company working in conferences in very specialist areas and 95% of what they do isn't really relevant to the general public at all. Any sponsorship agency would have told such a company that sponsoring town(or any football club) is a waste. He continues to do it and it allows him to put more money into the club and stay within the FFP rules. He doesn't do it for ego as he's not interested in the limelight. stop moaning and get excited that the seasons going to start

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tractorintheloft added 11:06 - Aug 9 Well put Monkey Blue. ME is doing all he can within the confines of FFP and MM makes an equally good point about this creating more bias towards relegated clubs and is having the opposite effect to what was intended. Would love to see Hewitt given a run in the side as he seems to have a lot of promise and that can only be realised by trusting him to play.
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pazelle added 11:15 - Aug 9 Gerken Chambers, Berra, Smith, Mings Hewitt, Hyam, Wordsworth, Tabb Marriott, Murphy
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Lightningboy added 11:18 - Aug 9 Really hope the likes of Hewitt,Marriott,Wordsworth are given more opportunities this season...at least everyone knows that if you don't give 100%,then Mick won't play you.
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Seasider added 12:46 - Aug 9 Would like to see the 3 players in mentioned by Lightingboy;but hope that Mick is not bigging some players up and we end up with Tabb and Nouble.Still he was praising his favorite Tabby recently;so will have to wait another 4 hours to find out. Do hope that Town can take advantage of most of Fulham players lack of gametime together.COYB
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rexron added 17:03 - Aug 9 He may be the next big thing at Portman Road.
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