Town recruit Cole Skuse was left speechless when he heard boss Mick McCarthy express the view that the ex-Bristol City midfielder was good enough to play in the Premier League.
McCarthy’s praise came last week, prior to the narrow weekend defeat at QPR, but Skuse had to rely on a pal to put him in the picture.
The 27-year-old midfielder explained: "I’ve actually thanked him for his comments. For a guy like Mick McCarthy to single me out and say I could play in the Premier League is flattering.
"A friend of mine sent me a message and said ‘Have a look at this, it’s very touching’ and after I saw it I was stuck for words really. I don’t know what to say but it’s very, very flattering.
"It gives you a massive confidence boost, especially when you have come into a new club and you’re trying to find your feet, impress and do your bit.
"For him to single me out this early on and say what he did really is unbelievable. So, once again, thank you gaffer.”
He says a top flight club did consider an approach earlier in his career: "There was a little bit of interest from Reading a few years ago when they were in the Premier League and Steve Coppell was the manager. But nothing got as far as me going to meet them.”
McCarthy originally made a move for Skuse in January but was rebuffed by the midfielder’s hometown club Bristol City.
The player says he knew about the interest and could understand why Robins boss Sean O’Driscoll wanted to hold on to him as they battled for their Championship status: "I was aware, the manager at Bristol City told me that Ipswich and another club made an approach.
"They weren’t in a position to let me go, I was trying my utmost to keep them in the league at the time, so I wasn’t ready to kick up a stink, I wanted to keep them in the league, but the way it’s panned out has been good.
"They’ll always be my team, I’ll always be a fan. Just because I’ve moved clubs doesn’t mean I don’t support them any more.
"I always keep my eye out for them and I speak to a lot of the boys who are still there and a lot of members of staff. It was a massive, massive part of my life so I can’t just forget it.”
Skuse, who signed a three-year deal following City’s relegation with his Ashton Gate terms up, would like nothing more than to prove McCarthy’s Premier League prediction correct and is confident of helping Town to secure a return to the top flight during his time at Portman Road.
He added: "We all have our own individual goals and our collective goal is to finish in the top six and do our bit to push on to the next stage where the staff and the fans, not just the players, want to be.
"I’ve signed a long contract here and if there’s no quick fix it’s not a big drama for me. I’m here to see out my time and be a successful player in that time.
"I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be in the top flight. I know I could say that all day. I could say it in interviews just to say what people want to hear but I’m saying it because I mean it.
"The positivity, the whole atmosphere around the place and the place in general is fit to be in the Premier League. We’ll see — football’s a funny game.”
Meanwhile, he expects Leeds, who will be making their first visit to Suffolk since ex-Reading boss Brian McDermott replaced Neil Warnock, to figure in the end-of-season promotion mix.
He said: "The manager they have brought in is similar to the one we have here in that he’s been there, done it and worn the tee shirt. He sort of knows the league, he’s got a very good squad and they’re a very hard team to break down.
"But if we can replicate the performance we’ve shown in the first three games, and particularly the one at home to Millwall, there’s no reason why we can’t win the game.”