Paul Green has outlined what he has to offer during his loan spell at Town as Mick McCarthy’s team look to cement their challenge for a play-off place.
Green has joined from Leeds until the end of the season when, with his Elland Road due to expire, he will be seeking fresh employment elsewhere.
He said: "I can bring a lot of energy to the squad. I’m the sort of player who likes to get up and down and I’ll also be looking to chip in with a few goals. I like to think that’s why I’m here and it would be nice to get a few goals. An early one would be nice to get me up and running here.”
Town would welcome more goals from the midfield area with Paul Anderson, Carlos Edwards, Luke Hyam and Jay Tabb so far contributing a meagre six from their collective tally of 92 appearances in all competitions, while Cole Skuse is still waiting to break his duck after 31 outings and the now-departed Ryan Tunnicliffe also drew a blank in 29 games on loan from Manchester United.
Green, whose Republic of Ireland colleague Stephen Hunt is also waiting to get off the mark after nine games, is currently on a half-century of goals from his 467 appearances on behalf of Doncaster, Derby and Leeds.
He could get the chance to make it 51 if, as expected, he is involved in Saturday’s home clash with a Blackpool side whose miserable run of 14 games without a win has seen them plummet down the Championship table.
Green is also keen to extend his tally of senior caps, having scored once in 20 appearances for Ireland, for whom he qualifies through his maternal grandfather, who was born in Co Mayo.
He added: "International football is a big thing for me and to be playing regularly (with Ipswich) would be great if I am going to get into the Irish squad for their next game in March, but we’ll just have to wait and see what happens with that.”
Green was once compared, by ex-national boss Giovanni Trapattoni, to Italian international Gennaro Gattuso, the former Rangers midfielder best known for his time with AC Milan and at the World Cup finals of 2002, 2006 and 2010 with Italy.
He laughed: "I have had different roles for Ireland. I was more about sitting and breaking things up for them but at club level I like to get forward and score a few goals, and hopefully I can do that here.
"As soon as I got that first taste of international football I wanted more of it and to play for my country is always a proud moment for me and my family.”
Despite not featuring regularly for Leeds this season Green was included in the first Irish squad to be named by Trapattoni’s replacement, Martin O’Neill, who is assisted by former Town manager Roy Keane.
He was a late substitute for Wigan’s James McClean in the 3-0 home win over Latvia on November 15th and then played the entire 90 minutes of the goalless draw in Poland four days later.