Town boss Mick McCarthy says youngster Andre Dozzell is progressing “very, very well” but is more likely to get another chance in the first-team this season once the Blues have arrested their current disappointing of form.
Dozzell, now 17, made a dramatic start to his senior career in last April’s game at Sheffield Wednesday when he followed in his father Jason’s footsteps by scoring on his debut while aged only 16.
The England U18 international started the game at home to Fulham a few days later but has added only another start in the EFL Cup tie against Stevenage to his appearance total since then, a game in which he was subbed at half-time.
Reflecting on Dozzell’s current situation, McCarthy said: "In my view he’s certainly not going to affect the team more than the ones who are playing and he’s playing in the U23s. He needs games, he needs to keep playing and keep doing his strength and conditioning, which he’s doing.
"He trains with the first team mostly, although he’s been with the U23s just recently. And he’ll be playing on Friday night [in the Premier League Cup game against West Brom]. But he’s progressing very, very well.”
He added: "You all watch this brutal league which is the Championship and it requires a certain mentality and physical strength, and he’s getting that, but he’s got a talent from his genes and you can see that in training.
"He made such an impact at the start and I think he will be involved this season, I still do, but certainly not how we’re playing at the moment and how things are. If we’re having to scrap for everything I don’t think that’s Dozzer’s best quality.
"If we start playing and start playing well and winning games again, I think then that’s a better time to introduce him.
"It’s not style of play, we’re having it tough, we’re having to scrap for everything and if you’ve got a team that’s having to scrap for everything, maybe adding a 17-year-old to that, unless he comes in and rips it up, then it might be difficult for him. And it can actually have an adverse effect on him rather than a positive effect.”
A number of Premier League clubs have kept tabs on the former Copleston High School pupil with Liverpool’s continued interest having been reported earlier in the week.
Despite his lack of recent chances, McCarthy, who ruled out sending Dozzell out on loan, says the academy product is far more chance of making the first team at Town than if he were to move on at this stage of his career.
"He has and we value him here,” the Town manager added. "The way forward for me is to play in somebody’s first team and then go and play in somebody else’s first team, like Dele Alli [who established himself at the MK Dons before moving on to Spurs].
"Don’t get taken elsewhere and not play in their first team and be loaned out somewhere else and it doesn’t work out. That’s the way to progress, that’s my view of it - getting him into the team here and then [moving on] when his time is right, having played well here first.
"He’s not turned 18 yet, so I think he’s a bit of a premature rush job, in terms of getting him out of the building, doing anything else.”
Central defender Adam Webster, 21, has made a significant impact since signing from Portsmouth in the summer and McCarthy would be surprised if Premier League scouts aren’t already taking note of his performances for the Blues.
"Well, they’re always going to sign my best players, aren’t they, every time we get one that’s playing decent. We’ve got Dozzer going out the door shortly, of course, now and probably Adam,” he joked.
"If there’s a better centre-half in the league [I’ve not seen him], he’s a Premier League footballer, Adam Webster, without any doubt.
"And if scouts aren’t going home having looked at him thinking, ‘He is a Premier League player’, I’d be very surprised.
"Bish came in the team and it’s not that long ago when he ripped it up against Middlesbrough, they were singing his praises and everybody was talking about him going out the door, and he’s been injured ever since.
"So, please God none of them are [injured], they’re all fit, we’re playing well, we’re winning games and if everybody wants to sign Didzy, Doz, Bish and Adam Webster, it would be fantastic, it would be great.”
Regarding adding players in January, McCarthy is looking at targets, having watched West Ham’s U23s beat their West Brom counterparts on Monday alongside his assistant Terry Connor with Hammers striker Ashley Fletcher thought to have been the main reason for their trip.
The Town boss says he is working on identifying players to bring in during the window ahead: "Of course, the difficulty always is, in terms of bringing new players in, is moving players out. If they’re all fit we’ve got a squad of about 24 if they’re all fit.
"Bringing somebody in and changing it all around, that’s the difficult part. You can’t just keep everybody and sign somebody, that makes it difficult. But we are planning for January.”