New signing Bartosz Bialkowski is determined not to spend too much time on the bench while with Town, believing he was a substitue too often earlier in his career. The Pole joined the Blues from Notts County earlier in the week and played the second half of Wednesday’s friendly against West Ham.
Manager Mick McCarthy has confirmed that Dean Gerken will start the season as his number one but Bialkowski - who has joined on a free with the Magpies receiving cash if Town go up or if the keeper is sold on - will be doing all he can to get into the side.
"Everyone wants to play and I’m no different,” he said. "I will do my best to try and impress the gaffer, keep training hard, keep training hard and we’ll see.
"I sat on the bench way too many times for Southampton and I don’t want to be in that situation again.”
At 27 he believes he’s getting towards the peak of his career: "That is the best stage for a goalkeeper. I’ve played almost 100 games in the last two seasons, I’m getting older and I don’t want to sit on the bench.”
Bialkowski says he enjoyed Tuesday’s game against West Ham: "It was a good to have my debut against a decent side. I was pleased with my overall performance.
"I didn’t have much to do but it’s still early on and I was happy to play 45 minutes. I was quite pleased [with the saves I made] but it’s still early on. I’m building my fitness.”
The seeds of his move to Town were sown in pre-season last year when he was approached by Blues keeper-coach Malcolm Webster.
"When Notts County played against Ipswich last year in a pre-season friendly I spoke to Mally and he said to me that they were going to watch me during the season, so I knew there was interest and I was trying to do my best to impress the Ipswich staff,” he said.
"I was happy with my last two seasons. I’ve been playing week-in, week-out and I was happy with my performances.
"Last season was a crazy one with Notts County having been down the bottom for such a long time but we managed to get out of the relegation zone, on the last day as well so that was something special.
"I‘ve been quite busy in the last two seasons but that led to me coming here - I had lots to do and I could show my abilities.”
Bialkowski and Webster go back a long way: "I remember when I was 18 I went to Hearts on a two-month trial. Mally was there and George Burley was there as well.
"After a week they left but as soon as they joined Southampton they gave me a call and I signed for them.
"Mally is a lovely guy, a great person and a fantastic goalkeeping coach. One of the best, if not the best I have worked with.”
Having previously played for Poland at U20 level, Bialkowski hopes one day to win full caps: "That was always my dream, that’s why I made a step backwards to join Notts County in order to play every week.
"That was the plan, play week-in, week-out and move forward again. I’m still dreaming about playing for Poland, that’s my goal.”
This isn’t Bialkowski’s first spell with the Blues, he spent a short time on loan at the end of the 2008/09 season as cover for Shane Supple, who had gone on loan to Oldham.
He says that stint might have led to a permanent move, despite him not playing a first-team game: "I was here for the last two or three months of the 2008/09 season. I enjoyed my time here even if I didn’t play, I was quite happy with the training sessions.
"Jim Magilton signed me but after that Roy Keane came in and I think he was trying to sign me in the summer but Southampton said no. It’s my second spell and hopefully I’ll get many more games!”
Photo: ITFC