Boss Mick McCarthy has confirmed that recalled loan striker Paul Taylor will be in his squad for Friday’s live Sky game against Barnsley at Portman Road. The Town manager again remained coy when asked about the speculation linking him with the Ireland job.
McCarthy, who celebrates a year in charge of the Blues tomorrow, is pleased to have 26-year-old Taylor back after his spell back with his former club Peterborough: "I agreed with him when I let him go that I would bring him back after a month. He wants to come back and play in the Championship, he wants to play here.
"He’s had plenty of games and plenty of minutes on the pitch. We’ve had him watched every game. He’s got better and better, he’s looking fitter and sharper and as we know he can be a game breaker, one that breaks it up and gets something out of nothing. He’s in the squad for tomorrow.”
The Blues boss wouldn’t be drawn on whether Taylor would start: "I can’t tell you that. You’ll have to wait until tomorrow.
"He’s in the squad. I need him back. We’ve been playing well, but to have the option of Paul Taylor, he can play either side or up front, he can change a game.”
McCarthy says the only player suffering with a knock is young striker Jack Marriott: "He’s rolled his ankle. He’s not in the squad because Tayls is here anyway.
"But unfortunately for him he’s rocked his ankle. But if we could get him out on loan I’d love to, it would be great for him.”
As for the Ireland situation, McCarthy stuck to the same line as last week: "I told you, it’s still in the same place, it’s west of Liverpool as far as I know. I gave you a schedule for flights last week. I could give you the same.
"They had me going there on Monday, I told you what I was [actually] doing. There’s nothing, no. You’re all bonkers [to keep asking me], by the way. You’re all bonkers, the lot of you!”
Later, he was asked whether he was surprised not to have been approached about the role, he added: "How do you know I haven’t been approached about it?”
Has he been approached about it? "I can’t tell you,” said the Blues boss, who is currently the second favourite for the job behind the now odds-on Martin O'Neill.
Speaking last night, joint-managing director Ian Milne said as far as he was aware neither Town nor McCarthy had been contacted by the FAI.
Meanwhile, former Town keeper Shane Supple was at Playford Road today having brought over a young Irish keeper to train with the academy.