Town youngster Jack Doherty, now back in his native Ireland on loan at former club Waterford, has been backed by fellow countryman Daryl Murphy to still make the most of his big chance at Portman Road.
Doherty was invited to train with Mick McCarthy’s squad during their Irish training camp last summer and after impressing was given a two-year permanent contract after a £20,000 transfer fee was agreed between the clubs.
But Doherty has yet to feature at senior level and Murphy, who was also with hometown club Waterford early in his career, believes he will benefit from the loan spell with his old side, where he should play regularly.
Murphy said: "I think it’s a good move for Jack. He will get games and play regularly, which is what he needs. I know he has been playing for our U21s but he needs real competitive games, week in and week out, and I think he’ll get that over there.
"I can relate to his situation because I was young when I first came over from Ireland to join Luton. It is tough when you’re that young and you come over. You’ve got no one around you and Jack has been missing his family and his girlfriend.
"It’s hard but you just have to try to stick with it and get your head around it if you want to be successful.
"Me and Hunty have looked after him, taken him out and stuff like that, but there’s only so much you can do.
"He has to make his own path over here. It is tough but he has to find his own feet. Jack has ability, there’s no doubt about that, and we all saw that in pre-season when he trained with us.
"That’s why he got a contract because he was that good over there. He just needs to produce that every day in training and show the manager what he can do.”