Blues boss Mick McCarthy was delighted to see Kieffer Moore score a hat-trick for Rotherham as he helped the Millers to a 5-0 victory over Southend in his full league debut at the New York Stadium on Saturday.
McCarthy says there’s the potential for improvement in the 25-year-old (pictured above right with Josh Emmanuel, also currently on loan at Rotherham), who he has previously said he could bring back from his season-long loan in January if he’s impressing with the League One side.
"I’m delighted he’s got his hat-trick, he’s playing well, that’s the reason I sent him out,” McCarthy said. "And just thank God we’ve got our strikers scoring because they'd be screaming blue murder!
"But for now that's his level, for me. He can get better. He’s got everything to be [better], he’s big and powerful and he runs in channels, he’s got to learn a lot of things, I think.
"And he’s getting that opportunity playing in League One. And they love him, they’re delighted with him, even more so after Saturday, of course.
"So, that’s the reason, it’s to help him to help us. Not to help Rotherham, but that’s the by-product. They’ve taken him but from our point of view, hopefully he’ll get better and we can see him as a first-team player.
"And if we don’t, if he keeps scoring goals we’ll be able to sell him for more than we bought him for.”
Moore cost the Blues £20,000 when he signed from Forest Green Rovers in January, signing an 18-month deal which includes an option for a further season.