PAUL Jewell’s managerial skills are set to be put to the test over possible unrest in the Ipswich Town dressing room over wages being paid to loanee Jimmy Bullard.

Town remained tight lipped today when asked to refute a statement from Hull City head of football operations Adam Pearson that Ipswich are paying nearly �20,000 a week.

With Ipswich sticking to their policy of not publically commenting on Pearson’s figures it conveys a clear message that the Hull man is not far wrong with his sums for a player who is on loan to the end of May, which would take in any play-offs games.

With the highest wage earner in the Blues camp believed to be on considerably less than that it creates the possibility for disharmony among Town team mates particulalry with 22 out of contract in the summer.

Bullard showed his worth to Ipswich when he scored a scorching goal on his debut in Tuesday’s 2-1 Championship victory at Derby County.

And there is no doubting that he has the ability to play a significant part in helping to lift Town away from the relegation zone.

The Town manager may need his proven managerial ability to keep the current recovery on track.

He will be grateful that club owner Marcus Evans has agreed to bank roll the arrival of a quality performer that is set to become a big favourite over the next few months at Portman Road.

And confident that he can keep under control any dissent in his camp after Ipswich last week gave every indication that they were unhappy with the wage figures Hull were quoting.

Jewell has already got the players on his side having taken over from Roy Keane early last month.

There is an extra spring in the step of the players as was shown by coming from behind to win their last two league games and they will be going into Saturday’s home match against Sheffield United seeking their first hat-trick of successive Championship wins since the last three games of the 2008/09 campaign.

Pearson says Town are paying �321,480 towards 32-year-old Bullard’s salary and he added in an effort to appease Hull supporters angry at letting a top player leave: “We’re getting nearly �20,000 a week.

“People may sniff at that but in the Championship that’s an awful lot of money and more than pays for the three or four players we’ve brought in.”

Pearson says Bullard’s contract, signed during the Tigers’ time in the Premier League when he moved from Fulham for �5 million, makes up around a fifth of his planned budget for next season.

“Jimmy is an undoubted talented player who has two-and-a-half years left at this club,” added Pearson.

“His contract alone is 21 per cent of our total playing wage budget for next season so we hope he comes back in the summer match fit and that he’s ready to go.”