Blues manager Mick McCarthy is looking forward to having the likes of Ryan Fraser, Teddy Bishop and David McGoldrick fit again and reiterated that he’d not be able to improve upon his current squad without “spending bonkers money”.
Ryan Fraser is due to rejoin the squad today having undergone his rehab with his parent club AFC Bournemouth, while Teddy Bishop is making progress having missed the season up to now with hamstring and shin splints problems.
David McGoldrick returned to the first team as a late sub in last week’s 2-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough but Kevin Bru remains sidelined with a hamstring injury and Larsen Touré with a groin problem.
Luke Hyam is on loan at Rotherham as he continues his comeback from his knee injury, while Luke Varney has played two halves for the U21s as he returns after rupturing his achilles in the play-offs in May.
"I’m excited by the prospect of them returning,” McCarthy said. "Ryan and Teddy are two quality players, Didz has been missing for a long time, and Kevin Bru.
"Suddenly the weeks drip away, you think it’s not been so bad then suddenly you find they’ve been out for a month or six weeks, they’ve been a long-time injured some of them.
"Luke Hyam as well, who has been playing up at Rotherham. He got half an hour on Saturday.
"They were beaten, so maybe there’s an opportunity to put him in the team and he might get a bit more football. We’ll have a good squad if we get all those back.”
Asked whether greater investment in the squad is required to push the teams towards the top of the division, several of whom have spent significant sums, he retorted: "Wouldn’t that be a great headline? I’m not getting into that.
"I saw a headline the other day, if that’s somebody’s impression, if that’s somebody’s opinion, they’re not getting that headline from me.
"I tell you all the time, I’ve got a great squad of lads and if I can get Didzy back fully fit, Ryan Fraser back in here fully fit, Teddy Bishop in here fully fit, maybe add Luke Varney to the mix as well, everybody’s fit then.
"Let’s give the lads who have been brilliant for me, for Ipswich, that chance without me bleating on about us needing something else.
"Because, actually, I’m not sure we do and where are we going to get better from without spending bonkers money is beyond me.
"I’d be happier to support the ones that I’ve got rather than look for something different.”
He added: "I have got good players and we’ll be a lot better off as well if Kevin Bru’s back fit, Teddy Bishop’s back fit, Didzy’s fully fit, if we do something with Luke Varney, Hyamsy’s back, Ryan Fraser’s back.
"Let’s go through them and you tell me where we’re going to get somebody who’s better than what I’ve got.”