New boy Tommy Oar has revealed how Australian international colleagues Tim Cahill and Mile Jedinak gave him the thumbs-up about teaming up with Town and manager Mick McCarthy.
The pair have plenty of experience in England, Cahill launching his career over here with Millwall before starring for Everton, and Jedinak captaining Crystal Palace, although he has faded from the first team picture this season.
Oar, who could make his debut at Reading tonight after McCarthy confirmed he would be in his squad for the trip to Berkshire, said: "I have played with Tim in the national side for about six years and I know him very well.
"I was talking to him about the move and he thought it would be fantastic for me. He also knows Mick McCarthy and said he would help to develop my game, so for me coming to Ipswich ticked all the boxes.
"Mile also said he thought the move to Ipswich would be a good step for me so that was something else that pointed to me coming here.”
Oar revealed that he has been interested in English football since he was a young boy and rather than favour a particular team he looked out for the Australian imports, among them Mark Viduka, Harry Kewell and goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, who played a lot of games for Middlesbrough and Fulham before moving to Chelsea and now Leicester.
He added: "I have always had an interest in it and been very keen to keep up to date with it. I’ve heard a lot about it from Tim and Mile, so I spoke to them when we were together with the national team recently. They both agreed it would be a good move to join Ipswich.
"It’s the perfect move for me. I watched three or four Ipswich games last season on television and I like the way the strikers move in the box. They are big boys and really strong in the air so it’s perfect for the way I like to play. English football is very entertaining and over in Holland it has a huge following.”
Oar played down comparisons with former Leeds and Liverpool star Kewell, who is now on the coaching staff at Watford, when he said: "I guess the only comparison is that we’re both left-footed and attack-minded players. He was very good in the air as well but my game is about getting delivery into the box and I’m more of an out and out winger than maybe he was.
"He was very good in the air as well but my game is about getting delivery into the box and I’m more of an out and out winger than maybe he was.
"To be honest I don’t think there are too many similarities between us but it’s a flattering comparison because he was someone I looked up to when I was growing up.
"I never really had a favourite English team — I was just a huge fan of my fellow countrymen and used to dream about following them to play in England.”