JIM Magilton has been told he is under no time constraints to get Ipswich Town promoted.Blues chief executive Derek Bowden last night revealed that Magilton was not under any pressure from owner Marcus Evans despite just one league win in four so far.

Derek Davis

JIM Magilton has been told he is under no time constraints to get Ipswich Town promoted.

Blues chief executive Derek Bowden last night revealed that Magilton was not under any pressure from owner Marcus Evans despite just one league win in four so far.

He insisted that there were no plans to sack him after ten games if results did not improve, nor at the end of October or even the end of the season.

Bowden said: “Jim has not been given a specific time at all. We know what we want and that is for the club to win promotion and once we are in the Premier League, for us to stay there.

“There is no time constraint on Jim as he has an open brief to get the club promoted.”

Bowden also dismissed suggestions that Marcus Evans' people were already marking out potential replacements for Magilton who has come under fire from fans not happy at some of his signings and the team's start.

Alan Curbishley immediately joined the list speculated about by Town supporters after his departure from West Ham, with Ruud Gullit, Sam Allardyce, Frank Yallop and Billy Davies, also being talked about.

Bowden said: “We are not sounding out any managers. It is very early days and no time for speculation about anyone's future.”

Eyebrows have also been raised at Magilton's decision to leave the team in number two Bryan Klug's hands while he is covering Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Slovakia tomorrow and the Czech Republic at Windsor Park on Wednesday, instead of preparing the players he has for the home game against Reading next week.

But Bowden revealed it was business as usual at Playford Road training ground, despite a number of absentees.

He said: “We have no problems with Jim being away. The entire coaching team and squad were at the training ground yesterday, apart from Pablo (Counago) and Iván (Campo) who had been given leave to go home to Spain for three days and they were all working hard.

“Jim is on the end of a phone should we need to talk. It is a long enough season and a busy enough summer so to spend a few days in Ireland during international week is good on him.

“Everyone needs a bit of rest and relaxation even if it is a busman's holiday and we have no problem with it at all.”

Magilton is due back next Thursday when the whole squad will get together following the international break.

He hopes to be able to tie up two loan signings before the Reading match with the 'emergency loans' window opening on Tuesday.