Steven Taylor has revealed he was in Turkey during last summer’s attempted military coup, which prompted a major career U-turn.
The new recruit recalled: "I was out there and about to sign for a Turkish club when it all happened. I had a call from America, asking if I would be interested in going out there to join Portland Timbers, so I decided to do it and it worked out well. But I wanted more and that’s why I decided to return to England.”
Taylor clocked up almost 200 Premier League appearances with first club Newcastle before his release at the end of last season. The move to Portland worked out well but he had warned them he was always likely to return to England and his deal was ended by mutual consent in December.
He added: "We had long flights in the States but it will be long coach trips now for away games. But that’s what it’s all about, testing yourself on cold nights in horrible stadiums.
"You’ve got to be man enough to accept that and I relish that sort of challenge. I always have from a young age, going to play in cup-ties for Newcastle. I haven’t forgotten any of that and all I want now is to get out there and play again.”
Taylor did enough during his brief trial period to earn a deal through to the end of the season and could come into manager Mick McCarthy’s thinking for his Town debut when high-flying Reading are the visitors to Portman Road tomorrow.
He added: "Coming in on trial was nerve-racking because you don’t want to do anything wrong and you want to get everything right.
"It was just a case of getting used to the other players and the way they play. The training is completely different to what I experienced in America, where there wasn’t the same intensity you get here.
"I’ve got to say a massive thanks to the lads for making me feel at home from day one. It feels good here — they are a good bunch of guys and the British mentality we have around here is very good.”
Asked if his aim was to earn a long-term deal, he responded: "My thinking is simply to take it game by game through to the end of the season.
"Let’s see how it goes and we’ll speak further then. I’ve had a few niggles over the years that I couldn’t prevent but I still believe I have a lot to offer.
"I’m hungry after coming back from America and I’ve got the desire to want more now. I’d had a few injuries at Newcastle, which was frustrating, but everything went well in the States and now it’s about playing football and helping Ipswich.
"This is a club that Sir Bobby Robson used to talk about a lot when he was my manager at Newcastle and you can see what he meant to the club just by walking along the corridors and seeing the many pictures of him. He is a legend here and rightly so after what he achieved.
"I’ve also seen Titus Bramble and Kieron Dyer around the place and that brings back memories of when we were all together at St James’s Park.
"They both told me I would love it round here and said it’s a proper football club. The backroom staff have looked after me well and I’m raring to go.”