Town boss Mick McCarthy says he’s delighted to finally have midfielder Teddy Bishop back in his squad, the 19-year-old having missed the entire season so far due to a number of injuries. Bishop will be amongst the subs for Tuesday's game against Charlton, having travelled to Wolves on Saturday but not been included in the 18.
"Teddy’s fine and he’s on the bench,” McCarthy confirmed. "I’m delighted to have him back. He’s involved, but he’s not ready to start a game, I spoke to him today.
"It’s easy to get carried away in those 60x40 or half a pitch games and you can cope with all that, it’s when you have to run 75 yards chasing back and get back up again and go again.
"Starting a game is a non-starter at the moment, he’s had a week’s training, but he does look very sharp and already having him and Didzy back has improved training sessions.”
He says it’s been tough for the Cambridge-born youngster to deal with virtually a season on the sidelines, having made such an impressive start to his senior career during 2014/15 when he made 25 starts and 11 sub appearances, scoring his first senior goal in the 2-2 draw at AFC Bournemouth.
"I spoke to him a long time ago about him walking around with a face like a slapped arse,” McCarthy added.
"I get it because if you’re injured, as a player, the last thing you want to do is be walking around with a big smile on your face looking like you’re enjoying yourself because then people start to think that you’re not bothered about playing, that you’re quite enjoying being out of the team and it doesn’t matter.
"But on the flipside of that, if you go around and you’re continually showing everybody how upset you are that you’re injured and miserable, that doesn’t help your demeanour, doesn’t help your recovery.
"And I have to say, he got that. I knew exactly why he was looking miserable. One, because he’s injured, but two because there’d be a lot of us who would be quick to jump on him if he was wandering around telling jokes and enjoying himself all the time. There’s got to be a happy medium.
"He got that and he’s come back and he looks great in training, I’ve been really pleased with him. You just see the quality that he has. He’s an outstanding young footballer and we’ve missed him this season.”
Bishop will be joined in the dugout by David McGoldrick, who made his return from injury as a final-minutes sub at Wolves.
"Didz isn’t ready to start a game, he’ll be on the bench,” the Town boss continued. "As I said about Bish, it’s easy to get carried away and I doubt very much that he would finish a game.
"As I said last week, when the game opens up, you’re more likely to get something out of him.
"I was trying to get him on for about 15 minutes on Saturday but we couldn’t because certain things happened and the ball didn’t go out for ages.”
He says the return of Bishop and McGoldrick adds to the bench with the pair also making their mark at Playford Road: "The training sessions have improved no doubt with the technical ability that the both of them have. It’s been great to have them both back.”
Meanwhile, McCarthy says January signing Kevin Foley has been unfortunate not to have added to his four starts and one sub appearance, having lost his place after he suffered a rib injury during the 2-2 draw at Bolton.
"I spoke to Kevin this morning. He’s been terrific but our back four has been outstanding for three seasons virtually with three of them being almost ever-present and the only ones we’ve changed the left-back and the keepers when something tragic has happened to them and they’ve lost their place and someone else has got in.
"That unit has been really solid so it’s been difficult for him there and in the midfield area, to be fair, Dougie we signed in the summer and he and Skusey have been terrific. He has been a little bit unlucky, but he understands.”
McCarthy says striker Freddie Sears needs a goal, having not netted since his opening-seconds strike at Fulham in December with the Town boss having largely utilised him in a wide role rather than as an out an out central striker.
"You might say he’s played out of position but he’s always played as a forward, whichever way he’s played,” McCarthy continued. "If he’s played in a wide area, we play with wingers that push on.
"If he’s played in a three, which he has quite a lot, he’s had loads of chances. But his preferred option is down the middle, but it’s needs must.
"What I love about Freddie is how selfless he is, he thinks about the team and he plays wherever we want him to.
"The longer you go [without scoring], of course, the more likely you are to snatch at a chance when it comes. He needs a goal.”