Town boss Mick McCarthy says he hasn’t written off centre-half Piotr Malarczyk and has praised the Pole’s professionalism during a first seven months at Portman Road in which he has rarely played.
Malarczyk, 24, was signed from his hometown club Korona Kielce, where he was skipper, in August, when the Blues triggered a release clause of 50,000 zloty (around £8,500) in his contract.
But since then the former Poland U21 international, who was close to winning a senior international call-up in September, has made only three starts - all in the cups - and three Championship sub appearances.
His last game was the FA Cup replay defeat at Portsmouth in which he was sent off having picked up two yellow cards after conceding a penalty (above).
Recently, having been out of action for three weeks due to a kidney stone, he has been out of the senior matchday 18 and playing in the U21s side.
But speaking in the Polish media last week Malarczyk said he wasn’t ready to give up on his time at Town and had two choices, either to "complain that the manager’s not giving me enough chances or train very hard and show him that I am always ready to play. I am choosing the latter”.
McCarthy praised the centre-half’s attitude: "He’s a wonderful example as a pro. He went down to Cardiff with the U21s [a week ago on Monday], played in the game beforehand and played very well in it.
"He’s trained with the U21s if he’s had to and he’s trained with the first team today. He’s been terrific, he’s been a really good pro.
"Coming in and whinging at me wouldn’t make any difference anyway, so they might as well do the second one. But he has done, he’s been great, I’ve nothing but respect for Peter.”
He added: "I don’t write any of them off, certainly not with eight games to play. If you analyse the position he plays, we’ve had three players that have played right-back, centre-back and centre-back since Christophe Berra came in three years ago and have played almost every game.
"They’ve been remarkable in terms of consistency and resilience and playing. The only additions we’ve had to those have been the two goalkeepers that have played and three left-backs, Cressy, Tyrone and Jonas.
"There have been all-comers come in. Jonny Parr he’s been here, couldn’t get in the team.
"Those lads [have been consistent and resilient] - and it’s been just as well they’ve have because really we’ve only had five or six defenders - and Peter’s another one that just can’t get in the team, he’s not as good as the two lads who are in there.”