PAUL Jewell has admitted that he had never even heard of Luciano Civelli, until he was appointed Ipswich Town boss last month.

PAUL Jewell has admitted that he had never even heard of Luciano Civelli, until he was appointed Ipswich Town boss last month.

Civelli made his long-awaited return to first-team action, nearly two years since damaging his knee, when appearing as a last minute substitute during last weekend’s 3-0 home win over relegation-haunted Sheffield United.

The Argentine left-sided specialist then followed up this cameo role with an outing for the Reserves in Wednesday night’s 3-0 win at Oxford United.

Jewell now knows all about the luckless Civelli, but that was not the case before he filled the hot seat left by previous boss Roy Keane.

“It was nice to see Luca playing,” explained Jewell.

“I had never seen him play until I came here. To be brutally honest, I had never even heard of him!

“He was telling me he hadn’t actually been out for two years, and that he has been fit for the last four or five months, when he was obviously out of the picture.

“It’s a work in progress with Luca. It’s about gaining confidence, getting fit and getting some games under his belt.

“That is something he hasn’t done for two years, but he’s got a good attitude, like the rest of them,” added Jewell.

Civelli will be hoping for more time on the pitch at Barnsley tomorrow.