Manager Mick McCarthy says he wants to see midfielder Josh Carson in the running for Player of the Month awards during his loan spell in League Two with York City. The 19-year-old made his debut for the Minstermen in Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to Port Vale.
McCarthy says that the Northern Ireland international isn’t likely to make his side this season: "He’s not going to get in my first team now, he’s not at that level just now, whether or not that’s because he’s not been playing.
"I think he played in the last game before I came against Sheffield Wednesday but a month away will do him some good, give him some football.”
The Blues boss says Carson’s move, which could potentially be extended until the end of the campaign, doesn’t mean his time at Portman Road is up with another season, plus the option of a further year, remaining on his contract.
"I’m not giving up on him,” he added. "We’ll see how he does with York. If he wants to play in my team, he’s got to go up to York and fairly rip that up, hasn’t he? I’ll be looking for ‘Josh Carson’s up for Player of the Month at York’.
"But I think every player should know that. Surely they don’t need that endorsement from their manager to go up there and play well.
"He wants to be here and be a player, and the only way that’s going to be is to get some competitive football, and when he gets competitive football to play well in it if it’s below this standard.”
Team-mate Frank Nouble believes the spell will be good for Carson: "Josh is a good young player and he will benefit from going out on loan. He was telling me he knows [Nigel Worthington] the manager at York and that will help him.
"I’ve moved on loan a few times myself and I know what it can do for you. There are a number of benefits. For a start, you know that you are as good as the other players there and it can help to build your confidence.
"Plus, you get the chance to play and show what you can do. Players just want to play and if they can’t do that regularly for their parent club going out on loan gives them that opportunity.”
Nouble launched his career at Chelsea and has also been signed permanently by West Ham and Wolves, but he acknowledges that loan stints at West Brom, Swindon, Swansea, Barnsley (twice), Charlton and Gillingham have also proved beneficial to his development.
But now he feels he has landed on his feet having joined Town on a permanent basis in January, adding: "I’ve been on the bench, coming on regularly, and we’ve had some good results along with some that have not been so good. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it so far.”