Town boss Mick McCarthy believes striker Leon Best will become more of a threat as he gets closer to full match fitness. The 30-year-old, who signed on a free transfer late in August after a successful trial, made his first start for the Blues in Tuesday’s 0-0 home draw with Brighton and Hove Albion having come on as a sub in the previous two matches.
"He’s flying on one wing at the minute,” McCarthy said. "He’s not fully fit but he’s working really hard at it and I think he’ll be a real threat. He is a threat now, but when he gets his fitness [he’ll be more of one].”
With Best having struggled with niggly injuries in recent seasons, McCarthy is keen not to take too much of a risk with the former Republic of Ireland international, hence his substitution on the hour mark against the Seagulls.
"We’ve got to be careful with him, he’d run his race, 60 minutes he’d done,” the Town boss added. "We need him to go again on Saturday probably.
"But he’s getting there, so he’ll be a much better player. I never thought for one minute he was just going to be all things to all men in two or three weeks of being here. I’m delighted with him, I think he’s played well again.”