Recent signing Adam McDonnell has made an instant impression on Blues boss Mick McCarthy and his new team-mates. The 17-year-old joined Town from Shelbourne on a two-year deal just prior to the transfer window closing, having spent time on trial over the summer.
"We’ve signed Adam McDonnell from Shelbourne, who looks terrific, I have to be honest," McCarthy said. "I think he’s caught everybody’s eye this week in training.
"He’s a bit like Teddy Bishop, that’s a good starting point. Except he’s got dark hair and a big floppy fringe.
"He’s technically very, very good. He’s 17 and he trained with the first team this week and he caught the eye of the other players.
"You know when the players take to someone instantly well and they’ve done that.”
McDonnell, who also spent time on trial with Manchester United and Bolton during the summer, impressed McCarthy when he saw him in action for Shelbourne against Waterford United and then in the friendly against the Blues during Town's pre-season trip to Ireland. The Irish U17 international had previously spent time with the Blues academy.
The Town boss says there’s been a conscious move to improve the development squad by bringing in the likes of McDonnell over the summer.
"We’ve tried to build Mark Kennedy’s U21 squad from the academy and by bringing other players in,” McCarthy added.
"We brought Darren McQueen in from Spurs and he’s fitted in really well. We brought in Ben Wyatt from Norwich so we’ve now got a solid left-back.
"And it’s no surprise that Sparky’s started winning games with the U21s because they’ve got solidity.”
While Kennedy’s side are second in their league table having picked up seven points from their first three games, there have also been players pushing on from the squad into the first-team.
"Teddy Bishop was in the U21s and he’s now progressing and Matt Clarke is as well. They’ve been great. I thought Clarkey was terrific at Crawley and Teddy Bishop was outstanding at Derby.”