Boss Mick McCarthy believes his skipper Luke Chambers has all the attributes required to captain a team. The 29-year-old, famed for his post-victory fist pumps, has worn the armband for most of the 27 months that McCarthy has been at Portman Road, formally taking over as captain after Carlos Edwards’s departure last summer.
"I think [a captain needs to be] somebody who leads by example,” McCarthy said. "And that’s not necessarily about shouting and screaming on the pitch and being demonstrative out there. It’s how you conduct yourself on a daily basis, how you conduct yourself in training.
"That you train properly and have an influence around the place, you’re consistent on the pitch. If you’re not, if you’ve got a captain who is inconsistent and doesn’t play well every week.
"It’s very hard to be leading and give out to other people and demand from other people if you’re not doing it yourself.
"Chambo does all those things and he does them with aplomb. He enjoys his football, he has a real common sense to it. I think he understands his strengths and weaknesses, that’s a real plus, I think, and he has the respect of the other players, which is paramount if you’re a captain.”
He added: "We’ve got plenty of leaders in the squad now, we’ve got good characters. We’ve got good players and I think good, solid professional footballers, who know what it’s about to be a good pro and with good experience.”
McCarthy loved wearing the armband during his playing days, having skippered at club level and internationally with Ireland.
"I enjoyed captaining a team very much,” he continued. "It can be inspirational to the player who gets the captaincy.
"It can also be destructive. Some players get it and suddenly think they have to do something else, maybe direct traffic and everybody else and give information out.
"I have to say it probably did with me on one occasion when I was younger, but then you realise you get the captain’s job because of how you are and and what you do. You don’t have to do any more.
"It is about setting a good example and that was a great captain’s goal he scored [against Sheffield Wednesday]- far post, right-back from 12 yards out. That tells you the effort that he’s putting in. I enjoyed it and I know Chambo does.”
He believes players at the back are ideally placed to captain teams: "Defenders are in a position where they can see everything. You’ve got a great picture, centre-halves have especially. They’re in the middle of the pitch, you can see all of it. That’s a great vantage point.
"When I came here Carlos was the captain and I saw no reason to upset that. I’ve done that before, I did it at Wolves, changed captains, and suddenly it changed the dynamic of the place.
"But when Carlos didn’t play, Chambo was the captain. I thought he was a good leader on the pitch and he didn’t need the name but I know he appreciates the fact that he’s the captain and he has the armband.”