Paul Jewell plans to use Spurs links to unearth Premier League gems
PAUL Jewell could tap into Tottenham Hotspur – old and new – in a bid to boost the Blues’ Championship bid next season.
The Town boss has admitted keeping a close eye on goings-on at White Hart Lane as he looks to take advantage of a string of links with the North London outfit.
While Jewell knows he needs to strengthen the spine of his side before the new season, his knowledge of Spurs’ youngsters and his hopes of attracting a couple of Premier League players to Portman Road opens up an intriguing possibility.
In Jewell’s favour is:
* The triumphant return and inside knowledge of Bryan Klug who left Tottenham to return to Ipswich as academy director.
* Jewell’s close links with former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp who he met up with on Friday.
* His relationship with Tim Sherwood who has remained at White Hart Lane to work under Andre Villas-Boas.
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* His own scouting after admitting he had seen “quite a bit” of Tottenham players.
While only time will tell whether anything comes of Jewell’s links with Spurs, it does raise the prospect of Town fans seeing some exciting youngsters next season – with the Blues boss keeping an open mind on having one or two loan players.
“I have not spoken to Bryan about any players,” Jewell said. “Bryan will be very good for the academy, he has had a lot of contacts and hopefully he will take it forward.
“I also know Tim Sherwood quite well at Tottenham and I saw Harry Redknapp on Friday who might recommend one or two players. But I have seen quite a bit of Spurs’ academy players.”
Redknapp’s links with Jewell reaffirms the theory that the former Spurs man offered Town owner Marcus Evans managerial advice when Roy Keane was sacked in January 2010.
It would not be the first time the two clubs have linked up with Andros Townsend and Jake Livermore, below, only showing flashes of their undoubted potential under Keane.
Instead, most fans will hope any new player from Spurs, whether released or on loan, follows in the footsteps of Giovani dos Santos, above, who did so well at Portman Road.
