New Blues boss Gary O’Neil has introduced the staff who will be joining him at Portman Road.

As reported earlier, O’Neil’s Strasbourg assistants Neil Critchley, previously manager of Blackpool and Liverpool’s U23s, and Tim Jenkins will take on similar roles, while Ed Ames comes in as an analyst/coach.

French reports claim the Blues have paid Strasbourg €5 million (£4.3 million) for O’Neil and his staff.

The previous management’s first-team coaches Charlie Turnbull and Junior Stanislas have left the club, along with set-play and first-team coach Mark Hudson.

Kieran McKenna’s assistant Martyn Pert is in talks regarding a new recruitment role, as is Sone Aluko, another of McKenna’s coaches. Rene Gilmartin is also in talks but is expected to remain the head of goalkeeping.

“Tim’s been with me all the way through the journey,” O’Neil said of Jenkins. “I met him at Liverpool’s academy when I was doing the U21s. He came to Bournemouth with me.

“We added Neil later, he came to Strasbourg, he brings real good experience. Very, very calm, great understanding of the game. Good understanding as well because he’s been a head coach himself, he knows how it feels to sit in this seat as well, which is different to sitting in the other coaches’ seats.

“Ed Ames, a fantastic find at Wolves. An excellent analyst. His knowledge of the game is top, especially in England. He did a long time at Wolves so understands the league, understands the level, understands how I want my teams to play.

“Initially those guys will join me. There may be some additions further along the line, but for now that’s the core group and they’re just as excited as I am to be at this club which is obviously very, very special with a fantastic history. A great opportunity for all four of us.”

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