MATCH-winner Jimmy Bullard hopes that Ipswich Town and his parent club Hull City can “get going” to decide his long-term future.

MATCH-winner Jimmy Bullard hopes that Ipswich Town and his parent club Hull City can “get going” to decide his long-term future.

Loanee Bullard’s magnificent brace, to sink stunned Cardiff City on Saturday evening, has added more fire to the question that currently burns brightest at Portman Road.

Will influential midfielder Bullard, who is on loan from Championship rivals Hull until the end of the season, be tempted to sign up for Town again this summer, and permanently? He would certainly have to take a big pay-cut.

Money will be the main stumbling block, not least because Bullard still has more than two years left on his contract with the Tigers, on weekly wages of �45k.

But the 32-year-old is not just concerned with finance. He wants to be playing, and for the moment Ipswich are fulfilling all his wishes.

Asked about the possibility of him eventually signing for Town, Bullard’s response will at least give Town fans’ some hope.

“I’ve scored a couple of goals, and I’m really enjoying my football, being at a club that really wants me, which Ipswich has shown. So why not?” revealed Bullard.

“Hopefully the clubs can get going, but there’s a long way to go for me. There’s still 12 games to go.

“As soon as I walked in, I knew that this was a fantastic club.

“Finance is not the only thing with me. I’m enjoying my time here, but at the same time I am in quite a difficult position because I’ve still got two years on my contract at Hull City, and I’ve got some good mates up there.

“I want to be playing, though, so it’s difficult for me. The closer I get towards the end of the season, the more I’m going to know hopefully,” added Bullard.

Bullard’s second and third goals in a Town shirt, since his loan switch from Hull at the end of January, turned the tables on third-placed Cardiff.

Town had spent most of the first half soaking up the Bluebirds pressure, but some choice words from manager Paul Jewell at half-time did the trick.

Bullard admitted: “I can’t tell you what the manager said to us at half-time – I can’t go swearing. But there were a lot of Fs!

“And it was deserved. We understand what he wants, and we want it as well.

“We were not at it in the first half, but we showed a lot more grit and a lot more determination in the second half.”

Town boss Jewell said of the possibility of signing Bullard this summer: “It’s something that we will speak about and look at nearer the date. For the time being he’s just on loan, but you never know in this game.”