PAUL Jewell might be hanging on the ropes as he prepares for two crunch games that could determine his fate as Blues manager.

But he has the right team in his corner as he looks to cause a shock against the two top teams in the Championship.

Town visit league leaders Brighton tonight knowing they could end the evening at the bottom of the table should they lose and Peterborough win at Barnsley.

Jewell then faces the glare of the television cameras at home to Cardiff City on Saturday as Ipswich look to improve on a run of just two wins from 14 games.

But assistant manager Chris Hutchings insisted: “Paul has confidence in his own ability. He is a good, good manager and the players recognise that as well.

“But we all have an important role. We have to keep buoyant, but also very professional in what we do. That is what you have good staff for.

“I’ll pick him (Paul) up, he’ll pick me up. The players pick us up and we pick the players up.

“That’s me as a person – my glass is always half-full. But we are all very positive people and the players are positive.”

Jewell distanced himself from the growing pressure surrounding his job by staying with his family in Leeds following Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Barnsley.

Hutchings said: “Without a doubt, it is good to step back – I think you have to. It is a pressure cauldron. We deal with it and get on with it but sometimes you need to re-energise yourself, take a step back, look at how we are doing things and how we can improve.

“But when you get beat, the players have to look at themselves. We feel we are doing things right on the training ground so the players have to implement them on the pitch.”