Town boss Mick McCarthy says recently-signed winger Danny Rowe has impressed his team-mates during his first few weeks at the club and will make his Championship debut between now and the end of the season.
The 25-year-old joined the Blues from Vanarama National League side Macclesfield in the January transfer window but is yet to make a matchday 18 having been suffering with a hip flexor injury when he signed.
"There’s no doubt that he will get a game between now and the end of the season,” McCarthy said. "He has impressed, he’s impressed the lads as well.
"He’s unfortunate that I’ve just signed a winger and we’re not playing with wingers!”
He added: "He will [excite the fans]. I hope so. I think he’ll be a good player for us, long term.
"The fact that he came in with an injury, the fact that I changed the shape of the team, it’s not helped him, but he’s training away and he’s got a long time to be here. I know everybody wants him to come in and play but he is impressing everybody.”
The Town boss says it’s important for players to impress their new team-mates after joining a club.
"Apart from having the seal of approval from the manager and coach, you want that, but you want acceptance from the lads, that is really important,” he continued.
"I’m not on about being nice to you or being big buddies, just that they think ‘I like him, he’s a good player’. That means a lot that, being accepted by team-mates.
"Especially coming from non-league. Unless you’re a very confident person or player, if you come into a club from the National League, you’re always going to think everybody’s having a look at you and waiting to see and judge, like in any other job wherever you go.
"And impressing your team-mates, it’s paramount that to having a nice, steady ride through the choppy waters of the first couple of months of your career. It’s hard work.”
Meanwhile, McCarthy says Teddy Bishop’s frustrations continue with the 20-year-old midfielder set to miss the weekend trip to Barnsley with a groin injury.
"It’s wrong if I’m having to plan almost for a substitute, he’s such a talented player, I feel for him that he can’t get a run of games going,” the Town boss reflected.
He added: "I do think that the physical exertions of a Championship season, just the way it’s played, some players take longer to just grow up, toughen up a bit, get used to it. Some handle it really easily.
"I’m hoping that’s the case, his career has been littered with injuries at the minute and it’s just stunting his development, for sure. But he is different class when he’s fully fit.”