Playing for manager Mick McCarthy has not disappointed Town midfielder Jonathan Douglas, who is quick to sing the gaffer’s praises.
Douglas said: "Playing for the gaffer has lived up to my expectations. He’s really good and very honest with you, and you don’t come across too many managers who will tell you how it is.
"A lot of managers will tell you what they think you want to hear but he’s totally honest and great to play for. I was looking forward to playing under him and he hasn’t let me down.”
But Douglas admitted he is not getting carried away with his own fitness statistics after McCarthy revealed the 34-year-old midfielder was top of the charts in terms of distance covered during games.
He admitted: "I don’t take too much pride in individual stats. I’m more about helping the team and I suppose if I’m running around I’m doing that, which is the main thing.
"After games I don’t really go looking at stats to see how far I’ve run because I’m more worried about whether we’ve won or not.
"Fitness-wise I feel good, although I suppose every professional says that. They look after me really well here. The medical staff look after each and every one of us — they know what we need and whether we need a day off training here and there. So far, so good, and I’m really enjoying it.”
Monaghan-born Douglas is even more reluctant to discuss the possibility of an international comeback with the Republic of Ireland. He has won eight senior caps, the last of them eight years ago, and clearly does not envisage being recalled to the squad in time for the Euro 2016 finals in France.
He said: "I don’t even want to look at that. There are a lot of players ahead of me and to be honest I enjoy my breaks when the internationals come round. I spend a lot of time with my daughter whenever I can and it’s nice to have the break.
"I am looking to the future and doing my coaching badges. I will be doing the UEFA B licence in the summer and that’s the next step but I still enjoy playing. I’ve still got a couple of years left in me and hopefully I can see it out here.
"I will look to become a manager more than a coach but I’m happy to still be playing and that’s where my main focus will be until I retire.”
Douglas did not tune in to the television coverage of Middlesbrough’s 2-0 home defeat by Everton in Tuesday’s Capital One Cup quarter-final tie, smiling: "I’m afraid I had my six-year-old daughter with me and she wouldn’t let me watch football.
"But I don’t think the game on Tuesday will affect them on Friday because they made a few changes.
"I’ve seen enough of them over the season so far to know that it’s going to be a tough game. I don’t know if there is ever a good or bad time to play any team.
"Football is crazy and so is this league — anybody can beat anybody in the Championship. But we know we are capable of beating them and hopefully we can go out and prove it.
"I’ve heard about David Nugent’s scoring record against Ipswich. He’s a proven goalscorer and he has played in the Premier League, so he’s going to be difficult to keep out.
"But we have lads at the back who are quite capable of doing that. They have been doing well and we had a clean sheet in our last game, so hopefully we can have another one on Friday.”
Meanwhile, Douglas had admitted to listening to the 1991 record that McCarthy made with Linda Martin, a future Eurovision winner, after it recently resurfaced on the Internet.
He laughed: "Yes, I heard it and I think he should stick to management. But I haven’t mentioned it to him — I thought I’d let that go. None of the players have been brave enough to bring it up in conversation with him.”
Douglas also ruled out the possibility of his partner, Sky Sports presenter Natalie Sawyer, switching her long-term support for his former club Brentford and becoming a Town fan. "I don’t think there’s any chance of that,” he said.