Alan Lee believes he has become a better player since being talked out of retirement by Town boss Mick McCarthy.
Lee returned to Portman Road in the summer to join the academy coaching staff, having decided to hang up his boots following his release by Huddersfield.
But he was persuaded to change his mind by McCarthy, who invited him to sign non-contract terms and later refused to rule out the possibility of using him at first team level.
Lee, 35, revealed that his time spent training with McCarthy and coach Terry Connor has paid off handsomely.
He said: "I still think I can learn as a player and that’s down to Terry. The training on Friday started at 10am but the strikers did an extra 30 or 40 minutes beforehand, working on their finishing with Terry.
"At some clubs, players would just be kicking the ball into the back of the net, whereas Terry sets up specific drills that are more realistic. I have not had that much time spent with me or anyone care about me that much for a few years.
"I have been playing as a target man, so for someone to say we are going to improve your finishing and work at different things is fantastic. My finishing has got better and that’s down to Terry. If he can teach an old donkey like me, then he’s not doing too badly!”
Lee is full of praise for the training and coaching provided by McCarthy and assistant Connor, a partnership formed at previous club Wolves.
He added: "To be able to learn from someone like Mick in training is brilliant. Sometimes I have to remember to snap out of trying to work out why he is saying things [from a coaching point of view] and concentrate on the training session as a player.
"He has a fantastic team with great experience, all very level-headed, and I am very grateful to learn from both him and Terry.”