Town number one Scott Loach says 17-year-old goalkeeper Michael Crowe has a great future ahead of him. Boss Mick McCarthy recently confirmed that the academy second-year scholar will be his third-choice keeper this season.
Loach was delighted with his manager’s decision: "Brilliant. Michael stayed at mine [before the Barnet game], I’m trying to take him under my wing. You'll have to mention he said he beat me at pool, but actually he got destroyed! For a 17-year-old he’s a confident lad!
"He’s a great lad, I really like him. When I went to Watford Ben Foster was there and I think the way he treated me is how I look at the young lads now.
"It’s hard for a young lad to be around [the first team squad]. I’m 25 now so to him I’m old. I’m just trying to pass on everything I can, I’m trying to take him under my wing and make him feel at home and if he gets the opportunity, fair enough.
"I was telling him the other night, you want to be taking my place in a couple of years, you can be better than I am. He’s a great talent and we’ve got to keep it that way.”
Loach says it’s difficult for young keepers making the step up into senior football with opportunities often limited until they reach their mid-twenties: "I was one of the lucky ones. I broke in fairly early because of all the injuries at Watford and I’ve got a lot of managers to thank for keeping me in.
"I said to Michael, there’s nothing stopping you having to play halfway through the season. God forbid it doesn’t happen because I want to play the whole season and I’m sure Gerks does as well, but he might be thrown in the deep end, so he’s got to be ready. "I don’t know if you’ve seen him, he’s 6ft 4 or 6ft 5, he’s 17, he’s Norwegian - although he plays for Wales, not sure how that works! — but he’s a great lad, I can’t speak highly enough of him and he’s got a great future ahead of him if he knuckles down and works.” London-born Crowe, whose father is English and mother Norwegian, joined the Blues last summer from Kristiansand side IK Start having been brought up in Norway. He qualifies for Wales through a grandparent and was called into their U19 squad by ex-Blue Geraint Williams towards the end of last season. Meanwhile, former striker Alan Lee has been spotted joining in with first team training at Playford Road this week. The 34-year-old was released by Huddersfield at the end of last season and has recently started coaching with the Ipswich academy, however, intriguingly, has never formally announced his retirement. Another ex-Blue, defender David Wright, who faced Town for Colchester in Tuesday's friendly, is also spending time coaching at Playford Road as he works on his badges.What to read next:
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