Manager Mick McCarthy insists that striker Michael Chopra isn’t out of his Portman Road plans, despite the former England U21 international having featured for just 12 minutes since he took over at Town.
Chopra, introduced from the bench late on at Leicester on Saturday, has been a sub in each of McCarthy’s four games in charge but the new Blues boss, who admits he knows little of the striker’s off-field issues, says he rates the former Newcastle, Sunderland and Cardiff man highly.
"I’ve a lot of time for Chops,” he said. "And certainly in terms of his ability he’s been one of the really good Championship players over the last few years. I’d like to get that happening again.
"I actually don’t know about his problems. I just want to see him on the pitch. I’ve watched him in training. He’s one of the best players here, there’s no doubt about that.
"Why he’s not been in the team is for other people. I’m seeing what he’s doing and I’ve been impressed with him.
"But in DJ Campbell we’ve got Johnny on the spot at the minute, who is sticking the ball in the net, and I think Murph playing up front with him is a good foil for him.”
That partnership may be set to change with Tyrone Barnett coming in on loan yesterday, although the Peterborough striker isn’t available for Saturday’s game against his parent club.
McCarthy says Jay Emmanuel-Thomas is also in the increasingly fierce competition for places up front: "Another one who is a really talented player and I’m going to try to get the best out of him as well. He can give us more, there’s no doubt. We will get the best out of him.
"Terry Connor’s worked with him, more as a centre forward. He’s done a lot of work with him already.”