Town boss Mick McCarthy says midfielder Teddy Bishop gave up his day off on Wednesday to do extra work on the training field at Playford Road as he looks to win back a place in the Blues first team. The academy product was left out of the 18 at Brighton on Tuesday despite travelling with the squad.
Speaking after that game, McCarthy said "the only way to get back up the pecking order is to break your nuts in training and to make sure you’re in my eyeline and TC’s eyeline so we’re going ‘Wow!’” and the 20-year-old appears to be trying to do exactly that.
"He didn’t have his day off on Wednesday, fair play to him, the message is there,” McCarthy said.
"He came in and did extra work, he was doing it today. And that’s the only way he’s going to get back in. That’s with everybody, good players but they’ve got to do that little bit extra.
"I feel for him because he’s been injured and when you get back and you’ve had the injuries - and I’m going to give him a slight little window of opportunity and excuse - what you don’t want to do is overtrain and then suddenly find you’re getting injured again.
"You’ve got to strike that happy balance between ‘Am I overtraining and I need to do that bit extra than the lads who have been playing for 30 games’. They’re all battle-hardened and they can all tolerate it.
"He’s a wonderful talent and I want him back in the team and I’m sure he wants to be be back himself.”
McCarthy added: "He’s had adoration when he’s been playing. I remember two years ago against Middlesbrough, he ripped them apart and Aitor Karanka was waxing lyrical about him, like everybody else was.
"And then he has had his injuries, but they’re gone, he’s got to get back in the team, and that’s pretty much [the same] for everybody.
"It’s made it harder still with Toums coming in and Emyr Huws coming in and Wardy playing in midfield, I think he’s been excellent.
"So there’s a real challenge for him, but that’s the challenge, you’ve got to scrap it out.”