Blues boss Mick McCarthy is delighted to have Ipswich-born Luke Hyam back in his squad ahead of Sunday’s derby at Norwich and says the 26-year-old would have that “extra little bit in him” if he were to be involved against his hometown club’s greatest rivals.
Hyam, who has played two U23s games after recovering from a knee injury which he suffered in pre-season, is one of only two Ipswich-born players in the squad along with youngster Andre Dozzell.
"He’s travelling with us,” McCarthy confirmed regarding Hyam. "It’s great to have him back with a smile on his face, it’s good.”
Brought up as a Town supporter, Hyam sat with the Blues fans the last time the teams met in a regular Championship game at Carrow Road two years ago.
But despite the midfielder’s true Blue background, McCarthy says he’s unlikely to go around impressing the derby's importance on his team-mates.
"You’d love me to say yes on that one, I think,” the Blues boss said. "If he’s on the pitch then I’d guess he’d have that extra little bit in him.
"If he’s not on the pitch or not involved, no. He’s not going to be going round [doing that]. It’s not generally what people do. Footballers are generally pretty quiet and insecure.
"There might be a couple before the game in the dressing room that go around and rally the troops but in general the rest of them are pretty quiet individuals and are looking after themselves.
"That doesn’t bother me because I’ve been in dressing rooms with people who have got the biggest gobs and say everything in the dressing room and then we walk down the tunnel and, ‘Where the hell have they gone?’. You never hear them again, never see them.
"And then they come in the dressing room at half-time and they’re still shouting.
"I’m cool with Luke being a nice, quiet individual and when he plays he’s ultra-competitive, he’s a great kid and it’s great to have him back.”
While McCarthy has confirmed that Hyam will travel, he says he’s not yet fully fit after his lengthy absence, the nerve damage in his knee having required surgery in October.
"He needs the games, he played [for the U23s] at Crystal Palace on Monday and I watched him but he needs the games, he’s not played. They were his first two games since Cambridge in a pre-season friendly and as fit as Luke Hyam is, it’s tough to come back into that.”