Boss Mick McCarthy says midfielder Luke Hyam has been “excellent” during his recent spell in the side, but believes he needs to add more attacking endeavour to his game. Former Northgate High School pupil Hyam signed a contract extension until the summer of 2014 earlier in the season.
McCarthy said: "Luke’s been excellent. We’re still trying to get him to be a bit more progressive and forward-thinking with his passing and maybe get a goal. I heard the shout ‘He scores when he plays’ or whatever it was.
"But overall I’ve been delighted with him. I think he and Guirane N’Daw have been a good partnership in there.”
Like his predecessor Paul Jewell McCarthy believes Hyam should be able to play more than just a defensive role in midfield: "Yes, because he’s got the energy, he’s got the legs to get forward, and get back.
"We just need to encourage him, he’s certainly trying to get forward. He’s just a young fella trying to learn his trade. He’s in on merit, he’s been great, I think. He’s been doing well.”
Hyam isn’t the only player who has impressed their boss since he came to the club, he’s pleased with the squad as a whole: "Everyone seems to think I go in and slaughter the lads, that’s very, very rare.
"I had some harsh words after Bristol City because that was the dopiest defeat we’d had in a long time.
"On Tuesday night I told them that we were beaten by a better side. On another day it might have been more but for the way they defended and kept going at their jobs.
"Actually, Aaron Mclean had a good header saved near the end and we still have a good couple of chances ourselves.
"And if the league had started on November 1st , before the game on Tuesday night, we would have been fourth.
"So, that’s how well the players have done. They’ve been terrific. They need to just keep doing the same and let’s believe that we can get the wins that will keep us up.”
The Town boss has often praised the spirit in the camp and says this is helped by regular training matches between the more senior players at the club and the younger members of the squad.
"It adds a bit of spice that, of course it does,” he said. "The ones who are just in the middle that some weeks are in the old and some weeks are in the young, that’s the problem.
"But the young ‘uns spanked them [the other] morning, but they’re about five down in the series, so they needed a win.
"They’re hardly pensioners. They’ve got a bit of savvy. The young ‘uns can be pushing and pushing and pushing and they’re suddenly one down. It demoralises them and they’re pushing again and they’re two down and wondering what’s happened.
"If the older ones, the more mature ones, go one down they just keep playing and find a way back into it.”