Jewell rises from the Ashes with appetite restored

PAUL JEWELL is such a keen golfer that it should come as no surprise to learn that the last round he played was in Ipswich.

The Ipswich in question, however, was not in Suffolk but Queensland, Australia, where the 46-year-old spent his last holiday watching Ashes cricket before agreeing to become the Tractor Boys’ new manager.

Such abstinence is impressive. It is also proof of how quickly Jewell has immersed himself back in football since choosing to end a self-imposed 25-month exile when agreeing to succeed Roy Keane in January.

“Yes, the golf handicap has suffered a bit,” laughs Jewell when speaking to the Yorkshire Post ahead of tomorrow’s visit to Leeds United by his Ipswich side.

“The last time I played was at a course near Brisbane that was designed by Greg Norman (Brookwater Golf Club). I am sure that will surprise a lot of my friends, who know how much I enjoy golf.

“But it is a small price to pay for being back involved as a manager. The job doesn’t change. The highs and lows are exactly the same as they have always been, while there is no chance to switch off.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am enjoying life at Ipswich. It is a great club. The job really appealed because I wanted something long-term, somewhere that I felt had potential to build.”

Jewell’s return to football was a long time coming following a truly nightmare stint at Derby County. A desire to recharge the batteries with travel and plenty of golf after leaving Pride Park was understandable.

On the handful of occasions this correspondent bumped into him during those two years or so out of the game, it was evident the lifestyle clearly suited with the haunted expression of his final days at Derby being replaced by the wise-cracking Paul Jewell I had got to know so well when covering Bradford City for the local evening newspaper.

Eventually, however, the management bug again took hold – hence his arrival at Portman Road a couple of months ago.

“It probably hit me on the way home from Australia late last year,” says the Liverpool-born former striker. “I’d been out there for the Ashes Test in Brisbane.

“My son Sam was working on the Gold Coast as a football coach with kids so I went out to see him and watch the cricket. (Yorkshire and England cricketer) Tim Bresnan got me the tickets and I was there for all five days with the Barmy Army.

“We had a great time. The cricket was superb and we had a real laugh with the Barmy Army lads. They were all asking if I missed management and I just kept saying, ‘Does it look like it?’

“There I was, enjoying the banter and singing all the songs while enjoying a drink watching the cricket. It was great. But then, on the way home, I started to think about it a bit more and realised that I was missing management.”

Once the decision to return to the most demanding of professions had been taken, the key was choosing the right job.

Jewell had been stung in the past, not having realised the extent of Sheffield Wednesday’s problems when agreeing to take over at Hillsborough in 2000 after a fall-out with Bradford chairman Geoffrey Richmond had brought an abrupt end to his time at Valley Parade.

Nine months later, the price for failing to conduct footballing due dilligence was the sack as the Owls floundered in the Football League.

Jewell’s career was resurrected the following summer at Wigan Athletic, who he led to two promotions in three seasons and a first appearance in the top flight in 2006. Six years later, the foundations laid during Jewell’s reign, which also included a League Cup final appearance, can be seen in the Latics still being among the elite.

Such an impressive CV – he had earlier taken Bradford into the Premier League and then kept them there against all the odds – was why Derby came calling in November, 2007.

The hope of then Rams chairman Adam Pearson was that Jewell could pull off a third ‘Great Escape’. The reality, however, was very different with County breaking all manner of unwanted records en route to relegation.

Now, his focus is on bringing success to a club that embraces ‘stability’ – as underlined by Jewell being only their ninth manager in 42 years.

“I’d had a few offers but Ipswich really jumped out at me,” said the Town manager, whose family home remains in West Yorkshire. “It is a great club with a great set-up, history and tradition. Mind, the same could have been said about Sheffield Wednesday and look what happened there.

“But I do feel we can achieve something here. The agreement on taking the job was to stay up. We have done okay, though we did have a setback on Tuesday night (against Reading).

“It means being away from my family, which is never ideal. But that sort of thing is the reality of the job. I have just moved into a new house with (former Bradford striker, now Ipswich coach) Sean McCarthy so that helps as we have a base.”

Tomorrow, the Tractor Boys travel to Elland Road trying to stop the attacking juggernaut that has been Simon Grayson’s side this season.

Jewell added: “I’m looking forward to going to Leeds, and not just because it means I’ll get a night in my own bed for a change.

“Seriously, the game will be tough. ‘Larry’ has done a brilliant job, Leeds have not looked back since he came in. They are flying at the moment. But we showed last weekend by winning at Cardiff what we can do so we will not go there overawed.”