Blues boss Mick McCarthy says it’s great to have midfielder Luke Hyam fit again and hopes the 23-year-old is over his injury problems having missed the final four months of 2014/15 with damaged knee ligaments.

“I just spoke to him and I just hope for him he’s OK,” McCarthy said as the squad returned to Playford Road for the start of pre-season training on Tuesday.

“He is, he’s training but it’s when you go back into that full tilt training and you start tackling and kicking the ball and blocking things when you’ve had a knee ligament problem, it’s always a worry.

“And, of course, he’s not got back to all that yet. He’s doing all his fitness work, he looks in amazing shape as he always does.

“It’ll be great for us all to have him back, he’s a great competitor. He’s one of the fittest lads we’ve got, he does it all the time, he’s terrific.”

He added: “Those ligament injuries, you think you’re OK and a ball hits you on the toe and opens your knee up again and suddenly you’re back to square one and he’s had that a couple of times.

“Hopefully, with the rest over the summer - the rest from trying to kick balls and tackling, he has still been working - will mean he’s OK.”

Hyam has made exactly 100 starts for the Blues plus 11 sub appearances, scoring three times, since making his debut at Middlesbrough on the opening day of the 2010/11 campaign.

The former Northgate High School pupil is contracted for another year with that deal including an option for another season.

Hyam and the rest of the first team squad have flown to Ireland this morning for their week-long training camp at the Carton House Hotel in Co Kildare.

The Blues open their pre-season friendly programme with a game against Shelbourne at Tolka Park on Saturday (KO 3pm). Admission will be €10 for adults and €5 students, OAPs and children. The club bar opens at 1pm.

Photo: Action Images

peewee added 15:25 - Jul 6 Well he needs to be forward thinking. None of this side ways and back to the keeper that's all he was doing. So hopefully a fit player and other players that can support him.
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Seasider added 15:27 - Jul 6 Good to have in squad as understudy to probably Skusey or Kevin Bru,even Tabby though surprised if he is first call this season,and even more surprised that he was kept on ahead of Paul Anderson. Looks like those that predicted that Mick will spend only a little or even none of the Mings money could be right listening to Mick the other day.
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Jimmy86 added 15:27 - Jul 6 For all of you saying he will be amongst the goals soon and is a potential Prem player, wake up and smell the coffee. He's scored 3 goals in 100 starts and 11 subs appearances!!! He couldn't score in a knocking shop!! He's not a goal scoring, attack minded midfielder. He played his best football as a holding midfielder...
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Paulblue62 added 16:03 - Jul 6 Good player, just not sure if he is good enough to force his way into a side that should be pushing for promotion.
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jas0999 added 17:09 - Jul 6 I like Luke and he does all the things Mick likes ... Hard worker, tough tackler and breaks up play. However, under no circumstances can he play if the name Cole Skuse appears on the team sheet. As we learnt last season it's far too defensive ... particularly at home. We need variety, creativity and goals from midfield. Skuse and Hyam are both good players, but it's essentially two extremely similar players vying for just one position in the team. They can't both feature. Good to have options for that one position though, but for me Skuse is the better player.

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PJH added 17:29 - Jul 6 I agree jas0999,there is a lot to like about Hyam but he and Skuse should not play together.Based on second half of last season,Skuse should be an automatic choice so I cannot see Hyam getting a start if Skuse available.
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blueboy1981 added 17:55 - Jul 6 ....... currently a very limited Championship player - nothing to get terribly excited about for sure. Some are, once again, letting hearts rule their heads with their comments - either that or they can't spot a good player when they see one. Needs to kick on this season, stop preening, and start playing - and in so doing prove that so called 'potential'.
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chepstowblue added 18:52 - Jul 7 For me he's playing in a division above his ability and for some reason becomes a far more important player when out of the team. All these players can 'get stuck in' and 'do the dirty work'. I like to see players who are comfortable with the ball and at the very least be able to complete a 5 yard pass ! Not a player that ive missed in the slightest !
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Talbs77 added 21:56 - Jul 7 I think some of the comment's on here are harsh. OK he has a long way to go but he's young and as much as Bishop isn't the Lionel Messi of Ipswich neither is Hyam the worst player in a town shirt.
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