IPSWICH Town manager PaulJewell will prioritise raw physical attributes when searching for new players this summer.
After his side ended the 2011/12 season placed 15th in the Championship table – their equal lowest Football League finish since the 50s – the Blues boss immediately labelled the spine of his side ‘powder puff’.
And not only would he prefer his reinforcements to be “young and hungry”, he also wants them to be tall, powerful and speedy.
“We need strong, athletic players who can add to what we have got,” said Jewell, who currently only has four players 6ft or taller in his squad (see below). “We need to be bigger. We have to be faster – what stands out in our team is that we lack pace all over the park. We need some dynamic players.
“It is not easy to find as every manager in the Championship is searching for the same player. We have to try and think out the box. There are one or two we think we might have a chance of getting but we don’t want that to get out.”
Jewell played the powerful duo of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Daryl Murphy on the wings for the majority of the second half of the season, preferring their physical presence to the direct-running of the more diminutive Josh Carson.
“Josh played well against Blackpool,” said Jewell, who has conceded he is unlikely to sign Murphy after his season-long loan spell from Celtic. “But when we went to Leeds, Daryl Murphy gave us an extra dimension with his height.
“Josh burst onto the scene last year and did very well. Then he came back not in the best of shape in pre-season. I don’t think the contract helped him either as it ran on a little bit. He has got better as the season has gone on but he is still only 19 and he has been more of an impact player.
“We have Jay Emmanuel-Thomas but he needs to work in the air.”
Jewell added: “I have always said I like 4-4-2 but since I have been here I have not played it too often. I played 4-3-3 last season but it is all about getting the personnel. I would like two players who can get down the line and cross the ball.”
PLAYER HEIGHTS
Damien Delaney 6ft 3in
Tommy Smith 6ft 2in
Arran Lee-Barrett 6ft 2in
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas 6ft
Andy Drury 5ft 11in
Carlos Edwards 5ft 11in
Ryan Stevenson 5ft 11in
Jack Ainsley 5ft 11in
Lee Martin 5ft 10in
Jimmy Bullard 5ft 10in
Joe Whight 5ft 10in
Nathan Ellington 5ft 10in
Luke Hyam 5ft 10in
Josh Carson 5ft 9in
Michael Chopra 5ft 9in
Jason Scotland 5ft 8in
Ronan Murray 5ft 7in
Aaron Cresswell 5ft 7in
Jaime Peters 5ft 7in
*according to official club website
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