Blues boss Mick McCarthy says Town are continuing to take care over midfielder Teddy Bishop’s recovery with the 19-year-old yet to feature for the first team this season.

Bishop has been out of senior action since pre-season due to problems with shin splints - which also hampered him at the end of last season - and then a hamstring injury.

The Cambridge-born youngster played for the U21s at Birmingham in mid-September, then in the home game against Crystal Palace at the end of October but hasn’t been involved since then.

“He’s had the best possible treatment that anybody could get,” McCarthy said. “Our physio Matt Byard’s excellent and we use all the best specialists and people if they need treatment, we get very well treated here.

“He’s not the first that’s had a frustrating injury, it’s just one of those things which keeps breaking down. But we’ll get him right, he’ll be fine.”

He added: “It’s his hamstring, we just want to be careful with that. I’m no doctor but he got shin splints and when you’re carrying them around, you’re not running properly and not being fully at it, can’t get fit, can’t train every day because of your shin splints. I don’t have to be a doctor to know that.

“Your fitness goes down and then you’re asked to go full tilt in a game and suddenly you have a sore hamstring.

“You have a gradual degradation of your fitness, of your strength, of your playing ability just because you can’t train.

“We have to train at full tilt every day to play the way we play and if you can’t it’s hard then to get up to that match speed. So, he hurt his hamstring and we’ve just got to make sure it’s OK.”

The Town boss says players learn how to deal with fitness problems as they gain experience.

“You’ve had injuries if you’re 29 or 30, you know how to deal with them, you know how to get over them, you know that that’s only a little niggle and that you can play with that or ‘Actually, my hamstring’s tight, I need to pull out of training’.

“And I think for poor old Bish he got to the state where it’s a bit like you hate to keep missing games and you hate to keep missing training because it’s embarrassing. I’ve been there.

“You want to go out and play and sometimes you’re not really fit to do it. I’m not saying he’s done that, but you’re forever carrying something, so we’re giving him the best possible chance.”

McCarthy hopes he’ll have Bishop and David McGoldrick, who has been out for the last three weeks with a groin problem, as well Ryan Fraser, who is closing in on his return after his knee ligament injury, back available sooner rather than later.

“We’ve a lot of games to play, fingers crossed we get him back for the second half of the season, before that but certainly for that,” the Blues manager said.

“And Didzy, who has had a torrid time with injuries over the last couple of seasons in the latter half of the season. So maybe it’s his time to come back in the second half and rip it up as he’s ripped it up in the first half of the last two.”

Meanwhile, the Annual General Meeting of the Ipswich Town PLC, which owns 12.5 per cent of the club and consists of the shareholding prior to Marcus Evans's takeover, takes place this evening.

Elsewhere, Simon Milton will be at Coaching for Hope’s Football For Good Awards where he is shortlisted for the Player Impact Award.

Photo: Action Images

Jimmy86 added 06:09 - Dec 2 Didz is a sick note and always has similar sort of injuries. Watching him run, his movement and style doesn't look like that of a naturally fit athlete, he always looks fragile and really lacks pace. Decent player and technically gifted, but injured far too often
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BotesdaleBlue added 07:13 - Dec 2 At least we now know more detail about Bishop's injury problems and can better understand the issues preventing his return. His treatment seems to have been going on so long, I think fans were getting increasingly worried about the severity of his injury, given the lack of progress towards a return to the team. Anyway fingers crossed we will see you soon Bish. The same goes to McGoldrick and Fraser.

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muccletonjoe added 07:37 - Dec 2 I think it's fair to say, both bishop and Fraser would be in the starting line up when fit and we then have the problems of who to leave out
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GiveusaWave added 07:53 - Dec 2 We will have a really strong midfield once Fraser and Bishop are back. Skuse, Bishop, Fraser, Bru, Douglas, AMN, Sears and Mcgoldrick (If needed), AMN, Oar, Parr, Hyam (if needed), Tabby, Toure and Mcdonnell are all clearly capable of holding their own in the Championship, if not even at a higher level. We will have a strong midfield (barring injury) over the Xmas period. It is our defence which is suspect.

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buntITFC added 08:46 - Dec 2 Think of that £8 million we could of got for Didsy not too long ago.....
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WadeyBlue added 08:52 - Dec 2 At least we are getting all the injuries out of the way in the first half of the season, and now we are on the up! COYB
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vanmunt added 09:37 - Dec 2 Must be a terrible time for a young player like Teddy to go through, best Town youngster for a long time and I really enjoyed watching him last season. Really hope he makes it back soon.
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PortmanTerrorist added 09:50 - Dec 2 Guentchev dont forget about REG !! Was at the Valley and thought AMN looked off the pace at times and does not yet do his talent justice, which is fair enough at his age. The idea of Fraser on the left and Varney on the right is mouth watering as they can do real damage up front.......but can do all the nasty stuff as well which will get them picked by MM. Just need to stay close to the leading pack through Xmas starting with a win over, a hopefully knackered (after last nigh) Boro on Friday night

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theipswichman added 10:00 - Dec 2 It's such a shame, Teddy was a difference maker in some games last year. I think back to Middlesbrough and he was superb, so much potential but I'd rather we were careful so he doesn't turn out like Jonny Williams is.
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ArnieM added 10:40 - Dec 2 This is the risk of pushing young talent too much. Not that MM / TC have done this deliberately, far from it. But every young sports person will develop at a different rate. Bishops frame is similar to that if a young Dyer when he arrived on the scene. He was also prone to injuries. Shin splints are micro fractures of the tibia due to overuse. He'll get over it but this is why he has been rested for as long as he has. When he does return I think he will dip in and out of the team.

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scott91itfc added 10:52 - Dec 2 Will be challenging to pick a starting XI once all our players come back, could go with any of the following really: Gerken, Chambers, Smith, Berra, knudsen, Skuse, Douglas, Bishop, Sear, Murphy, Fraser (4-3-3) or, Gerken, Chambers, Smith, Berra, knudsen, Skuse, Bishop, Fraser, Sears, Pitman, Murphy (4-4-2) Both these teams don't even include Bru, AMN, Oar or McGoldrick! With all players are fully fit we certainly do have one of the most talented squads in the division, and we haven't been able to say that for many a year.....

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Slambo added 11:15 - Dec 2 Some good points on here. ArnieM - I share your concern that it's going to take considerably longer for Teddy to get anywhere near the team - maybe not even until next season. Seems like he's still too lightweight, and not just physically. Is he mentally capable? Not so sure. Yes, he's only young, but it's a short career is football, so he's got to toughen up sharpish. As for Didzy, again, good observation Jimmy86. Didzy's running technique is very strange and must put his joints and muscles under a lot of unnecessary pressure. Sublime footballer though, a good 4 months out of him is better than nothing...

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Bluebell added 11:16 - Dec 2 When all our players are fit and back playing Mick is going to have problems picking the team. Fortunately it is a great problem for him to have. With Bishop, Fraser, McGoldrick, Hyam and Didzy to chose from our good team will once again be a great team!
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Lightningboy added 11:27 - Dec 2 Hmmm,maybe Mick should take a leaf out of Klopp's book re players (Sturridge) who are always picking up "niggling little injuries"...time for some to man up slightly maybe?
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Seasider added 12:02 - Dec 2 The Ipswichman.Thought JW was playing for Notts Forest until Jan,or is he injured again? As ArnieM says players who are slightly built generally seem more injury prone than others like Chambo, Smithy and Christophe,expect Knudsen will also come in this category. Unfortunately players like Fraser,Jonny Williams,Keiron,The Bish,Kevin Bru and Didsy are the naturally talented clever footballers so they are sorely missed. Nothing can be done to alleviate what is basically a physical situation,other than what is being done already;and naturally Mick has to do his best to keep players hopes up..

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GiveusaWave added 12:14 - Dec 2 Sorry PortmanTerrorist And Reg. I do rate the guy just forgot about him. We've got Stewart back in January too but have a feeling he'll go straight out on loan again. And let's not forget Henshall, the forgotten man. Connolly is meant to be handy as well and Dozzell can't be too far off a first team appearance.
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ArnieM added 13:31 - Dec 2 Inwoukdnt be surprised to see both Stewart and unfortunately Henshall , leave altogether. It hasnt worked out for either of them, time to move on perhaps.
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Surco72 added 15:20 - Dec 2 Is our high rate of injuries due to our style and approach to the game , 100 mile an hour physical game must be taking its toll during training ?
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runningout added 16:52 - Dec 2 Bishop should struggle to get in team.... Needs to due a lot of convincing...
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runningout added 17:18 - Dec 2 do
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therein61 added 18:23 - Dec 2 Be great to have everyone fit for the forthcoming fixture pile up, i can only see Teddy coming on as an impact sub(and hope he stays fit!) the return of Ryan Fraser will be most welcome as he offers so much on the wing and cutting inside to link up with the strikers on the subject of Didz(he is so gifted on the ball) he's missed too many games since the reported £7 million bid, so he's hardly playing to get away is he!? maybe his pain threshold is a bit different to people who want to wear the shirt!!??.

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