Town new boy Toumani Diagouraga can’t wait to end six months of frustration and make a return to competitive action.
The 29-year-old French midfielder arrived this week on loan from Leeds for the rest of the season and is hoping for a debut at Preston tomorrow.
Diagouraga is delighted to be at Portman Road after being frozen out at Elland Road since playing in Leeds’ 3-0 defeat at QPR on the opening day of the season.
He has tried to keep sharp with occasional appearances for the U23 side but said: "I haven’t played at that level for about four to six weeks and it’s not the same as first-team football. I don’t think you can compare the two but if I’m called upon I’ll give it my all.
"Six months is a long time to be without first-team football so I’m itching to get back out there. It’s the longest spell of my career without playing competitive football and I mainly stayed away from games.
"I went to a couple of games but I saw it as time for me to spend time with my kids. I’ve been having the weekends off as far as football is concerned but they don’t want me miserable around the house.
"I haven’t played any football for a while so I am keen to get going again. I’m itching to play and hopefully I can get some minutes at Preston.
"It has been very frustrating, to say the least. But it’s all part of football and you just have to move on and go forward.”
Diagouraga is grateful for the opportunity Town boss Mick McCarthy has given him and added: "It all happened quite quickly. I was very close to joining two other teams — both in the Championship [one Rotherham] — then at the last minute Ipswich came in for me and I decided to come here.
"What sold Ipswich to me? It was the club, the manager, everything. I thought it was the best opportunity for me to come and play my football here.
"The manager said he wants me to come here, do my best and help the team get wins to climb up the table.”
When the big moment arrives for Diagouraga to make his Town debut he plans to check the name on the back of his shirt. He laughed: "When I was at Brentford I went back home and I gave my uncle one of my shirts.
"He was the one who pointed out to me that my name wasn’t spelt correctly. I didn’t have a clue because I never thought to look but ever since then I have always checked.”
It was France’s success when they hosted the 1998 World Cup that fired Diagouraga’s ambition. He said: "My idol is Zinedine Zidane and I think just about everyone growing up in France during that era would say the same.
"It was a great time when France won the World Cup and that’s what made me want to become a footballer.”