Teenage star to Ipswich Town, really?

East Anglian local media have cropped up with reports that the teenage star that Paul Jewell has made a bid for in the last few days is Crewe’s 17 year old attacking wonder-kid, Nick Powell.

It is understood an initial bid has been laughed at by Crewe, and I do mean laughed at because not only is manager Steve Davis easily amused, but because even though such reports have been quick to roll out the “cash-strapped” affix when describing the league two club, there is no actual suggestion that they are in a position to open the till and print a receipt for their prized asset, and it does appear to be rather lazy.

Portsmouth defensive duo Joel Ward and Jason Pearce are also believed to lie at the heart of Jewell’s latest foray into the transfer market as a bid of more than £2million has been tabled for the pair, whilst Powell’s name has materialised as the third player to be taking Jewell’s fancy.

With Crewe currently on an upward curve with 5 wins in their last 9 under new manager Steve Davis and lying only 5 points off the play-off positions, the hierarchy at Gresty Road will have to be more rushed to sell than a desperate stock-broker on the FTSE 100 if they are to betray the optimism that has gathered at a fair rate of knots with every passing weekend since the post-Dario Gradi began in South Cheshire.

While Ipswich can dream of landing the highly rated Powell, who has become something of a talisman for Crewe this season having netted 6 times this season for the Alex and has dazzled crowds with his ferocious teenage talent, it would be as silly as a score of circus clowns for the Crewe board to entertain such a bid mid-way through a season where the new management team are looking to consolidate, or even achieve instant success, after years of decline for the Railwaymen.

To achieve that of course, they will need England under-17 talent Powell for the short team and to flog him after just breaking into the first team at Gresty Road would be nonsensical.

Crewe will inevitably have to relinquish Powell into the wilderness like they have done with the likes of Danny Murphy, Dean Ashton and the series of products that have travelled down the conveyor belt at the Reaseheath training complex like tins of beans at a Heinz factory, but to do so when the player is still learning the game would be misguided.

He is still a cub, so it looks like Ipswich’s predictable lets-throw-money-at-it-rather-than-produce-our-own trick that is sadly becoming increasingly common in top level clubs, will have to keep on dreaming for a little while longer.

@AdamGray1250

Comments

[Phil]

you can level the "throw money at it rather than produce our own" tag at possibly any club other than Ipswich we have produced more players through our academy than almost anybody else - Kieron Dyer, Conor Wickham, Darren Bent, Darren Ambrose, Jordan Rhodes and there are many more, it sounds like sour grapes to me

[Fims]

Yeah. "Rather than produce our own"

Because Crewe are the ONLY team to bring kids thro and sell them?!

Naive and I'll-informed.

[Si]

I'm sorry mr writer you are very deluded if you think Ipswich can't obtain the services of this young exciting talent. Ipswich is a family club with a huge pedigree and excellent youth polic and now backed by a very wealthy owner. This would be a major step for the young fella as was Connor Wickham when we list him to Sunderland. Get used to the fact when a bigger club comes calling there's nothing we can all do!

[Al]

2.5 mill. Job done his going to Ipswich because with the greatest of respect, Arsenal and Chelsea have kids like these in abundance and are always looking for them to be loaned out. If I were Crewe I would grab the money and be quick about it. Roll out another boy...

[Adam Gray]

It is the fourth comment here that is also "naive and mis-informed". Besides, I haven't actually said you don't produce your own, I was eluding to the fact that it is becoming easier now for clubs like yourselves, with EPPP etc. to barge in with the attitude your 4th poster has shown rather than feel a need to utilise your own academy.

Your youth production has been admriable in fact, with the examples you've named and Wickham was an exceptional case, but there is slowly becoming a decreased need to stick to it like we always have to. Why doesn't Jewell try to promote, let's say Luke Hyam, rather than coming in with a "£2.5 million job done" blase attitude in order to destabilise a club that has created, nurtured and now reaping the benefits of a youngster?

[Good Lord]

Accusing ITFC of buying youth when it's clearly not true, aside.

Really don't understand the point of the article. Seems to be a rather impetuous response to Ipswich having the gall to bid for a Crewe wunderkind, rather than it being one of the big four clubs as that's what should normally happen...

[Luke]

Saying Ipswich throw money at situations has been true of the past 2 seasons, But in no way what so ever have we just bought other teams youngsters...Ipswich is a great family club that prides itself on the youth of the club..I can name stand out players from every generation that have come from Ipswich, the same cannot be said for Crewe.

Ipswich in the last decade have brought through Darren Bent (Top BPL goalscorer over the last 5 seasons), Darren Ambrose, Connor Wickham, Jordan Rhodes.

In our history we have brought through amazing talent, practically winning the UEFA cup in 81 built on Town players, Like Kevin Beattie, John Wark, Paul Mariner.

I think the author has sour grapes that Ipswich have money AND youth talent and that we are a bigger prospect than you will ever be... 2.5mil and the lad is ours. face it.

[Reevetard]

Not only do you demonstrate a lack of football knowledge, you clearly don't have a grasp of the financial markets either.

Ipswich - don't produce talented youngsters? LOL
Stockbrokers - rushing to sell FTSE? LOL

Silly boy

[Al]

Ok I'll admit my post seem a little harsh. Apologies

However please explain the headline 'to Ipswich Really' now if this is not sarcasimn I don't know what is...

I for one and most nutural fans admire Crewe's Accademy but to not even recognise itfc's achievements for younger proven talent and crititize Itfc as a 'we'll throw money at it' is totally
incorrect. Good luck to Crewe and the young man If he joins Arsenal or Chelsea but if I was a gambling man I'm sure Itfc would be better fit for all concerned.