Portsmouth manager Danny Cowley says winger Michael Jacobs has been “mucked around, messed around” by Town following the collapse of the 29-year-old's move to Portman Road. Cowley says the former Derby man wasn’t aware of Town’s last-gasp volte-face on the switch until he told him.

As revealed on Friday, Jacobs was at the club to undergo a medical and complete the formalities on what had been a protracted move from Fratton Park.

The deal was done bar the final rubber-stamp with a rigorous having been medical passed.

However, Town had become aware that another preferred target, former West Brom winger Kyle Edwards, was available with his trial at AFC Bournemouth having come to an end and instead they opted to sign the 23-year-old, who was on a free transfer and has the potential to be sold on for a more significant fee later on down the line.

“We got into a good place on Thursday, which allowed us to accept the bid for Michael,” Cowley told the Portsmouth News.

“They agreed personal terms and they did a medical. Michael passed that medical, so I am told. For whatever reason the deal didn’t happen.

“I found out yesterday afternoon. I told Michael, he didn’t know. I was ringing Ipswich all day Sunday, trying to find out, for everyone’s benefit.

“What happened — and this does happen in football — is that Ipswich agreed the deal and then another player became available and they decided to go with the other player.

“Michael appreciated my honesty. He needed clarity himself and once I found out I told him.

“He is one of my players, I care a lot for him. You think ‘How would I want to be treated in that position?’.

“I always try to walk in their shoes and would want to know and, even if it’s not my place to tell him, I think I have a responsibility to tell him.

“He’s a really good kid and he has been mucked around, messed around. Football never ceases to amaze you, doesn’t it?”

Cowley says there will be no repercussions for Jacobs, who he says could play in this evening’s Carabao Cup tie at Millwall.

He says that as an experienced player the wideman will understand the situation: “Mentally he’ll be fine. He’s 29 years of age, he has lived football long enough to know we are just pawns in the game.

“When he felt he was leaving there was an air of disappointment that it was kind of unfinished business, he hadn't achieved what he wanted to here.

“None of us are in control, so what can we control? We can control how we behave and how we conduct ourselves. We can control and react to circumstances and situations.

“I will find the best way of playing with the best players we have at our disposal — including Michael.”

Meanwhile, more details have emerged regarding Blues target Joe Morrell’s move to Pompey, which was confirmed last night.

According to the Portsmouth News, the deal on offer at Town was weighted around appearances and further add-ons, while, as seemed likely, the Wales international had concerns regarding where he would be in the Town pecking order given the squad which is being assembled at Portman Road, whereas he is set to be among the top earners and a first-choice at Fratton Park.

Photo: Matchday Images

deano85 added 10:52 - Aug 10 I do feel that either cook or Ashton need to come out and defend us a bit as this could turn into a trick to put off players talking to us...
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WalkRules added 10:54 - Aug 10 Whatever the truth (and it is a little uncomfortable) s clear Mr Cowley is stirring the brown stuff as much as he can.
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Dissboyitfc added 10:55 - Aug 10 If Jacobs was given a better offer elsewhere in the 11th I suspect he would take it. People change their minds all the time. Move on!
6

norfolkbluey added 10:57 - Aug 10 Cowley sour grapes?! He has now bought another player he wanted out but he's got another on the books he didn't want. We do need more in midfield but hell let's concentrate on quality central defenders otherwise we will be fielding all attackers LOL. Please PC, don't keep us waiting any longer its nail biting.
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bluewarrior added 10:57 - Aug 10 Handbags. Move on. I do not think for one moment that Cook or Ashton would have shied away from telling Jacob's that they'd changed their minds. Fair play to Jacob's for being dignified about it. Cowley strikes me as having a massive chip on his shoulder.
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herobobby added 10:57 - Aug 10 Cowley is really coming across like a bit of a cry baby Grow up man it's business we were getting one player and a better one (on a free) came up He has got the hump because he is now stuck with a player he doesn't want and can't spend that money elsewhere Good luck at Portman road when you come (whingebag) 😂
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runningout added 10:58 - Aug 10 No point flattering ourselves because player chooses another decent club. It happens and will happen. As does these Jacobs type no goes!!
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Barty added 11:02 - Aug 10 p**s off Cowley
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Bazza8564 added 11:18 - Aug 10 Dear Mr Cowley, Ipswich Town said nothing publicly about this player, we announce signings when they have signed, not when they think they will preempt and celebrate getting a decent fee, disclosing details to the press seemingly for your own benefit. If ITFC have subsequently changed their mind and the deal has not gone through, then it is you sir that has egg on his face, you made public statements which have embarrassed your player, yourself and your club. If you had kept your your mouth shut none of us would have been any the wiser and your player would have been fine. Im no expert but I would imagine a decent percentage of transfers break down for one reason or another, this is the price you pay! Now, as Barty added, P**s off !

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dubblue added 11:28 - Aug 10 I don't really care what Crowley or Portsmouth think. I do feel sorry for Jacobs, as some have said we do not know how often this happens. We would not like if it happened to one of our players. Certainly we are well aware of players coming to the club passing their medical and us then turned down as the player got a better offer. This time it was the club who got a better offer. Time to move on.....and buy some centre backs!

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Marinersnose added 11:36 - Aug 10 I'd like to know the full facts about this. As a football club it is clear that we have acquired a potentially better player for free. It appears somewhat unprofessional the manner in which Town have suddenly opted out of the Jacobs deal without telling him. This may not be the case as we are missing some vital facts. Hopefully we are more professional in our business

1

Clemcc added 11:37 - Aug 10 Sorry for the player. Like being told signing for Man Utd then pulling out. His mental health must not be good right now
1

Churchman added 11:46 - Aug 10 Cowley should wind his neck in. He loves chipping away and moaning about other clubs. He is an annoying little man.
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Wooly74 added 11:55 - Aug 10 My first thoughts were that this was a little unprofessional from Cowley, but then thinking about it he is very inexperienced in the real mans game having never played or coached at a higher level until making his break through at Lincoln. Their time at Huddersfield was relatively short lived and whilst he kept them up, it's interesting that Huddersfield very quickly made the decision to take a quote ‘different managerial direction'. Whilst I don't under estimate that the Cowley brothers are good man managers, it's clear that they don't understand business or higher level football. For many years now, players have had the lions share of decision making. The pandemic has in truth rebalanced that dynamic a little and clubs now have more control. Given his injury record, plus the fact that Edwards is a full 5 years younger than Jacobs and was playing in the top flight last season for WBA it's a no brainer. We are first and foremost a business and tough decisions have already been made by the club to let players go who have been part of our youth set up for the last decade. I wish Jacobs well, but that's life and football. Move on, nothing to see here and Cowley, concentrate on your own side, it sounds already as if you are full of excuses?

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micky_1560 added 11:55 - Aug 10 How many times have we heard Ashton say that transfer talks are prolonged because player A needs to move before player B can be purchased etc. Unfortunately, the Jacobs deal got advanced close to the point of signing him before Edwards became available. We did the right thing for once and changed our minds for the better option. Best any transfer news is kept to a minimum until the contract is signed, saves having to reveal all that went on to try and get the deal done or not. I hope we really turn Portsmouth over twice this season and of course finish way above them in the league! COYB

1

barrystedmunds added 11:59 - Aug 10 On the face of it, not our finest hour but then again, we're not in possession of all the facts. Life's a bitch and then you die!
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blueears added 12:12 - Aug 10 Didnt Bradley get a better deal from Luton by using us ? Then made out he was never leaving them ?.............This goes on all the time, I feel sorry for Jacobs but thats the way business works the world over, not just in football. I also recall a certain Crooks and then Adams who were both signing here, then did u-turns because they had deals with other clubs. Players do it all the time,why cant the clubs pull out as well ? As for Cowley,get over it, you know how the game works by now,if not what are you doing in the game ?

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arablue added 12:15 - Aug 10 Grinch...well said. Cowley I suspect is a wily media operator - knows when to get his version of the story out and win the PR game. Quite a clever ploy if this is true; that Pompey against the rest of the world and where he (Cowley) fits into that sort of narrative...
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DavefromWatford added 12:19 - Aug 10 Mike Ashton & Paul Cook had every right to change their minds if they felt it was beneficial for Town. They were doing it in a private way but Mr Cowley had other ideas. He wanted to tell the whole world what was happening. Has he not heard the saying about dirty laundry.
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DavefromWatford added 12:23 - Aug 10 Without having the exact figures i imagine money spent & money collected is pretty even so can we stop all the stupid FC Chequebook jibes and grow up.
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budgieplucker added 12:26 - Aug 10 I have a lot of time for the Cowley brothers, if what Danny says is true and we had not the courtesy to inform Jacobs of the deal being off then I think he has every right to voice an opinion if verbal agreements had been reached all round. However, if this is not true then I think we should put the record straight and if true at least offer an apology for not being more open and honest with the player.

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Murphys_Law added 13:03 - Aug 10 I don't think for one moment that we didn't inform the player and/or his agent that the deal was off. You don't recruit,negotiate and sign/sell this many players without being professional and honest in the process. Cowley should do what we do, announce deals when they are done and not before! School teacher error!!!
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SouperJim added 13:08 - Aug 10 "I found out yesterday afternoon. I told Michael, he didn't know. I was ringing Ipswich all day Sunday, trying to find out, for everyone's benefit.". Of course you found out yesterday afternoon, Edwards only signed yesterday afternoon! Desperately trying to make it sound like we didn't put them in the picture, when obviously we did as soon as we could. Cowley is full of brown stuff. If he was in the same boat, about to sign his 3rd or 4th choice target for a given position when the 1st choice target suddenly became available, he'd have done exactly the same as we did. It's unfortunate for Jacobs but oh dear, how sad, never mind.

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Dissboyitfc added 13:20 - Aug 10 I didn't hear or read about Ashton or cook moaning where Flynn's move to Bournemouth collapsed.
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JewellintheTown added 13:37 - Aug 10 Crocodile tears! Cowley doesn't care about Jacobs any more than we do, he's just miffed he's not offloaded a player he doesnt want anymore and thought he'd sold so he's missed out on extra money for his war chest.
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