IPSWICH Town coach Steve Foley today predicted that “Jim's Babes” will mature into a successful Premiership side. The average age of the Blues team...

By Elvin King

IPSWICH Town coach Steve Foley today predicted that “Jim's Babes” will mature into a successful Premiership side.

The average age of the Blues team that drew 2-2 with Cardiff on Saturday was just 24 - and this includes Sylvain Legwinski and Jason De Vos in their thirties and Richard Naylor and Jon Macken at 29!

Foley joined the staff at Portman Road from Norwich City during the summer, and he can see similarities between now and where the Canaries found themselves in 2000.

“I like to call our playing staff 'Jim Magilton's Babes' and compared to most clubs in the Championship we are running a kindergarten,” said Foley.

“It is similar to Carrow Road when Nigel Worthington took over as a manager.

“We took three seasons to gain promotion to the Premier League - and the current crop of Ipswich youngsters is better than we had at Norwich in 2000.

“When Norwich went up there were one or two young players on the fringe, but the basis of the side had matured into a formidable unit.

“Most were married and settled down, and it was a different set of players to the ones we are dealing with at Ipswich now.”

Foley says that although results have not been ideal, manager Magilton is moving the club in the right direction.

He added: “There will be those who are feeling negative about our situation. But they should look deeper and more long term.

“We have not written off this season as far as the play-offs are concerned, but I am looking to the next few years for all the hard work to pay off.

“We have such a great group of talented youngsters and I am sure they will blossom into something special.

“At Norwich we said that we did not want to lose any of our young squad, but we received a £6million offer for Craig Bellamy and every player has his price.

“In Billy Clarke, Danny Haynes, Owen Garvan, Dan Harding, Alex Bruce, Jaime Peters plus others, we have players who in a couple of years will be at their peak. We even have babes in goal in Lewis Price and Shane Supple.

“It all bodes well for the future, and our current midfield is capable of turning into the best in the Championship.

“If the manager is able to pick a consistent side the future looks bright.”

n Are you confident about the future of Town? Write to starsport@eveningstar. co.uk or write to sports department, Evening Star, 30, Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN.