Boss Mick McCarthy says Town have to be careful with 18-year-old midfielder Teddy Bishop, who has made his breakthrough into first team football this season.
The Cambridge-born academy product has made a huge impression since making his senior debut as a sub in the Capital One Cup tie at Crawley in August but McCarthy says he’s not yet ready to play every game.
"The intensity that we play at is nothing like what he’s been used to in the U18s and U21s.
"He’s come into it and it’s sort of self-managing, unless I’m bonkers and I just keep whipping him and telling he’s got to keep going. It’s about looking after him and looking after us because we’ll get the best out of him.
"If he could get through every game I’d play him because he’s been excellent. But he can’t at this moment in time.”
He says he doesn’t view the 18-year-old, who has now made seven starts and four sub appearances, as a direct replacement for the injured Jonny Williams.
"Not playing Jonny’s position," he added. "Jonny Williams plays in behind, he’s more comfortable with his back to goal which is how you end up playing as a number 10.
"Teddy’s better coming on to things and facing things and running past people. He’s not so bad in a two when they’re up behind, he does that comfortably, but that number 10, Jonny’s the best at it.
"Teddy can do it, but not as well as Jonny Williams, certainly. And Teddy does the midfield role better than Jonny Williams does, facing things. In a two or in a three, Teddy’s excellent, and he played wide right at Blackpool and was excellent there as well.”
Meanwhile, the circumstances surrounding Town full-back Jonny Parr’s 2011 move from Norwegian club Aalesund to Crystal Palace, and specifically prominent agent Jim Solbakken’s role in the switch, is in the media spotlight in Norway.
Parr’s father Roger confirmed that no agent was involved with his son’s summer move to the Blues and says the 26-year-old is enjoying life at Portman Road: "It was I who represented Jonathan. We thought that an agent was unnecessary.
"Mick McCarthy directly called Jonathan and said he had been following him for a while. Ipswich is just a fantastic club and Jonathan is very happy with his choice.”