Ipswich Town manager Paul Jewell
Exclusive in-depth interview with Paul Jewell – only in today’s EADT
By Stuart Watson
Saturday, January 28, 2012
6:00 AM
PAUL Jewell insists he has still got the fight and self-belief to turn things around at Ipswich Town.
Speaking about a host of issues in an exclusive interview with the EADT – the first part of which is inside today’s paper, with the second instalment following on Monday – Jewell has spoken honestly about the effect his side’s poor form is having on him and his family, admitting it can be a ‘lonely job’.
Keen to emphasise he is not looking for sympathy, the Liverpudlian insists he can deal with the criticism though – even though he believes many opinions in football are ‘misguided’.
And with the next generation of young bosses beginning to make their names in the game, the footballing traditionalist – whose successes at Bradford and Wigan are rapidly becoming overshadowed by recent struggles at Derby and Town – is keen to prove he is not yesterday’s man.
With just four days of the January transfer window left, Jewell is running out of time to land the new recruits so badly required following a return of just eight points from a possible 45.
The EADT, however, understands that a flurry of deals could still happen in time for Tuesday’s visit of Championship table-toppers West Ham United to Portman Road.
“I can understand the fans are frustrated and bored with the lack of progress,” said Jewell. “A year after I took over we’re no further forward in terms of league position, but I’m further forward in my mind as to the players that are needed to challenge for the future.
“I’ve made mistakes, but I still have the self-confidence and believe that I can turn it around.”
– Buy today’s EADT for full interview. Live outside of Suffolk and North Essex? No problem – an e-edition is available at: www.eadt.co.uk/home/e-edition
12 comments
John Burls, will you still be saying the same things next season about team selection when we prepare to play against Colchester?
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Brian Betts
Monday, January 30, 2012
I don't particularly like Paul Jewell and I certainly don't think he should still be the manager of ITFC but at least he, unlike Mr Clegg, is not trying to convince us that there has been progress under his stewardship...As pointed out by Spartacus all of what Paul Jewell has been trotting out to the EADT for the last few months is just a well rehearsed set of sound bites and quotes from when he was the Derby manager....It's all been said before and for the same reasons - he took a once proud club and brought it to it's knees just like he is doing with ITFC
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bluearmy78
Sunday, January 29, 2012
1 Posted 27 Jan 2012 22:16 Ipswich versus West Ham There can be no excuse for a defeat against West Ham. We beat them at Upton Park and if we fail on Tuesday it is surely a bridge too far? A football match is our entertainment of choice, not since the mid 60s has visiting Portman Road been so uninspiring, so unentertaining, so dismal, so dire, so disappointing... To play professional football is a privilege that most of us fans would die for. The players must now go out and show their passion, earn their thousands, and prove their loyalty in the Blues!
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Blue and true since 1962
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Paul Jewell has the best job in the Football League as results appear to count for nothing at Portman Road. Credit to Marcus Evans if he can sign the players Town need to avoid relegation. Season ticket sales for next season will determin the future of Paul Jewell & his backroom staff. Will Simon Clegg still be at the helm next August?
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Neil Gedny
Saturday, January 28, 2012
I was always told "Never hit a man when he's down" so I think it is time everyone laid off PJ and let's see what team he puts out and how they play against West Ham. Surely the players we've got can be jockeyed into not losing their concentration for a couple of hours a week.
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JOHN BURLS
Saturday, January 28, 2012
We've already got the players who, if handled correctly, could hold or beat West Ham. What we don't want are new players chucked in at the last minute. I would be happy to see the same team put out with ALB in goal.
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JOHN BURLS
Saturday, January 28, 2012
He is right not to look for sympathy - the man is an embarrassment - there will always be those for & against certain managers - but Jewell has sullied to name of this club & will forever be held in utter contempt by the people of Suffolk
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Old Timer
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Too much talking and not enough action. Any team with a good defensive record has a solid keeper who sorts the men in front of him. We badly need a strong keeper to organise things. All season we've been shocking at the back, largely due to no set No.1. Stockdale is a decent keeper, but short term loan signings can't have the required impact in that position. We've also been playing for the last couple of years with no right back in our team or even squad! Edwards is ok as a wide right midfielder, but is not a defender. His best days are also long gone. Please buy a decent keeper, right back and centre half before Tuesday passes. Money should be no object as League 1 is the alternative. Too late to sack Jewell unfortunately. Let's back him and let's hope he and the lunatics running our club get the players in.
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Garry Fitzroy
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Ipswich fans are probably some of the most tolerant in the Country, they have loyally followed Town through thick and thin and believe me, as most fans will agree, there's been a lot more thin than thick over the last few years. Fans up the road will point out that even when in the Championship they were getting better gates than us, true but how many teams in this League get above 16,000 even when they are doing well. But for PJ he is on borrowed time, unless he turns thing around and fans actually see some progress they will continue to shout for the head of the manager, because no matter what arguments are put forward it is the man that picks the team, sorts out the tactics and targets the signings that is to blame if the team under performs. No, he cannot be responsible for lack of form or injury. But he can make sure that he has reasonable replacements if these events happen. Nobody would wish the sack on any manager, unless he's a right b-----d or is totally useless, neither which I think applies to PJ. But he needs to get it right and SOON.
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whymarkmariner
Saturday, January 28, 2012
"I'm aware of the speculation (about being sacked) I can't do nothing about it except get a few results. We had it at the start of the season and it went away after a few results, hopefully it will go away again.'' "I'll work even harder, if that's possible, to put it right," said Jewell. "I've been here before in the Championship, [where I achieved] two promotions and a seventh, so I do know my way around it. But it's a long job and it's going to take a lot of patience and a lot of hard work and a lot of soul searching. At the minute we've just got to get over this crisis of confidence we're having." - Yep, sounds like Jewell could have made those comments today, but actually made them when he was at Derby. The report that this comes from also comments on him contradicting himself and where he believes that given the opportunity, his experience could pay dividends. In short, I'm sure he is a nice guy, but all evidence points to further failure.
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I am Spartacus
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Surely an interview would involve answering a question or two - ideally some of them rather testing? This is just yet more bland dross - some of it not only misleading but plain wrong. How can you say Jewell's early success is 'rapdily becoming overshadowed' by his disastrous tenures at Derby and Sheff Wed? At Wigan and Bradford he was at clubs he had played for and knew, in division he knew, with wages budgets far higher than other clubs in those divisions. At Derby and Sheff Wed he was at clubs exactly like Town, unkown quantities, moribund, feeble, strapped for cash and with delusions of grandeur. Those clubs are EXACTLY what he should have been judged against (and very rigorously) after two years out of the game as a part timer pundit known more for what passes as scouse humour rather than any oarticular knowledge or insight.
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Rob Steroo
Saturday, January 28, 2012
I don't understand his comment of "A year after I took over we’re no further forward in terms of league position" - is he blind to the fact that we are now in a much worse position than when he took over? It is unbearable really to have a Town boss that has now split the fans to about 9010 on whether he is the right man for the job. Please go Paul.
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Sid Tractorgirls
Saturday, January 28, 2012