Goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski’s recent form that attracted much-deserved recent praise from boss Mick McCarthy has also been hailed by defensive colleague Christophe Berra.
The giant Pole has been impressive since taking over for the last five league games from the injured Dean Gerken, who is now fully recovered but having to settle for a place on the bench.
Berra said: "We have always known that we have two top-class keepers who have both done well for us.
"It’s just unfortunate that due to illness, injury or sad circumstances that one has been unavailable, which has opened the door for the other.
"Also, when one has stepped into the first team he has tended to do well and stay there until he has had to miss out, for whatever reason.
"It’s not as if the manager has dropped one to bring in the other. It’s been like a yo-yo, one up and the other down, but the bottom line is that it’s healthy competition and we know we’ve got two very good keepers on our hands.
Gerken may be well out in front when it comes to appearances this season — 27 in all competitions compared to Bialkowski’s 11 — but if the latter can maintain his current form he could well retain his first-team place through to end of the season.
But Bialkowski is not the only team-mate to be praised by Berra, who has also saluted defensive partner Jonas Knudsen, the 23-year-old Danish international who has slotted into the left-back role following his move from Esbjerg last August.
Berra added: "It’s been difficult for Jonas, coming in from another country and being thrown in at the deep end, but I think he is getting better with every game.
"He is still adding things to his game and there are still a lot of things to improve, like everyone on the pitch.
"We’re all individuals looking to get better and hopefully Jonas will continue to go from strength to strength.
"There’s also a good bunch of young defenders coming through — some are out on loan at the moment to gain valuable experience — and the first team lads know that if their level of performance drops there could be changes.”
Berra claimed 11 goals in his first two seasons at Town but has so far failed to find the net in the current campaign, although he hopes to break his duck in at least one of the remaining 13 league games.
He laughed: "Maybe I’m a marked man, I don’t know. To be honest I’ve not had too many opportunities and haven’t managed to get my head on anything. I usually get a couple of goals at the back stick with the ball falling to me but that hasn’t happened either.
"I just have to keep on working away and I’d like to get a couple before the end of the season. Hopefully I’ll get an important one, you never know.”
Meanwhile, Berra is playing landlord to full-back or midfielder Kevin Foley, a former colleague at Wolves, who joined the Town playing staff in January on a short-term deal through to the end of the season and has so far clocked up two senior starts.
Scottish international Berra said: "He’s actually staying at my house until the end of the season and we take it in turns to cook in the evenings. I did haggis one night and he enjoyed it — but why wouldn’t he?”