Boss Paul Jewell has praised 17-year-old striker Connor Wickham for his maturity and the way he is coping with being in the media spotlight at such a young age. The frontman made more headlines when he netted his first ever hat-trick at Doncaster with Tottenham subsequently reported to be the front-runners for his signature.

Jewell said: “He’s very mature, it doesn’t seem to bother him, although I think his tattoo’s spelt wrong!

“I think he comes from a good grounding at home and he’s a nice laidback lad, sometimes a bit too laidback. I’d like him to be a bit more aggressive at times.

“When he’s on the pitch he’s learning all the time. He’s only 17, but he’s quite mature around the place.”

The Blues boss says the England U21 international gets on well with his team-mates, who treat him as just another member of the squad: “I’ve only known him a brief time and he’s just one of the players, they don’t consider him a young player, they consider him one of their team-mates and that’s the way it should be.”

The Town manager has no doubt that Wickham has a bright future as a central striker ahead of him, but at the moment he’s an important cog in his side playing out wide: “I think he’s got it all, he’s got everything. He can run, he’s quick, strong. He needs to improve in a lot of areas and he knows that himself.

“He’s playing in a role which is a little bit foreign to him at the moment in the three up front on the left, but he’s doing a great job going back as well as going forward.

“Connor’s been a vital part of the team, but what I’ve been trying to stress to everybody is that it’s not just a team effort, it’s a squad effort.

“What goes on on the training pitch Monday to Friday is important and the togetherness that the squad have got. Sometimes you’re only as strong as the players out of the team. If they’re good characters that can transform things through the club, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

For all the talk of a move to the Premier League, Jewell hopes the Hereford-born player can fulfil at least some of his ambitions at Portman Road: “He’s 17 nearly 18, so he’s got a long way to go, but he’s got a bright future as long as he keeps doing what he’s doing and as long as he stays clear of injury. There are a lot of pitfalls in football.

“I’m pleased with his progress, but he has a lot to learn and hopefully he can learn it here and go on to be an international player here.”

Jewell, speaking prior to reports of a clause in Wickham’s contract which would see him move on if Town receive a bid of a set level, says the Blues are in no hurry to sell their prize asset: “Connor should just get on with his job and if an offer comes in for any player that doesn’t suit us we won’t sell them.

“I haven’t come here to sell players. Hopefully he can progress with us and we can keep hold of him.”

Meanwhile, a report this morning claims Town target Habib Beye will turn down his loan switch to Portman Road to remain at Aston Villa to fight for his place. Yesterday, Blues boss Paul Jewell confirmed his interest in the 33-year-old right-back.

Story syndicated from TWTD.co.uk

Photo: Action Images

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