Town could be without David McGoldrick when they face Fulham at Portman Road on Saturday with the striker’s wife close to giving birth to their fourth child. The 29-year-old is also due to join up with the Republic of Ireland squad on Sunday ahead of their World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Serbia next month.
The baby had been due on Tuesday but speaking at his pre-match press conference manager Mick McCarthy says they’re still waiting.
"She’s still having the baby, he’s back and he’s trained today, but as we all know, that at any given time that could change when nature calls,” he said.
McCarthy says if the baby still hasn’t arrived by Saturday morning he’ll leave a decision on his line-up as late as possible but says the striker will be allowed to return home to his wife if she goes into labour ahead of the game.
"If he goes home and turns up on Saturday morning, he’s playing, no problem to me,” he added.
"[But if he gets the call on Saturday morning] he’s goes and sees his wife for the birth. I remember when I was either a player or a manager somebody tried to stop somebody going.
"But it’s what we all do now. When I played, I went and played. I dropped my wife off, went and trained, came back and thankfully she was giving birth to my first child and I saw Anna being born.
"And I went back and played and we got beaten 5-1 by Newcastle. I remember that day more for the result rather than Anna being born, to be honest. I have told her that in the past. She’s given me more pleasure since though, I might add.”
He added: "No doubt I’d have gone and played football. I saw all my children being born, which was lovely.
"And having done that, I wouldn’t even attempt to try and stop anybody doing it. It’s a great day.”
Following Saturday's game McGoldrick is due to meet up with the Ireland squad on Sunday ahead of games away in Georgia on Saturday 2nd September and in Dublin against Serbia on the following Tuesday, which could also now be in question.
"Wait and see, when they finally have the child and everything’s OK. I don’t know.” the Town boss, a former Ireland manager, added. "He might not be here for me on Saturday yet. We’ll see.”
If McGoldrick does join up with the squad coached by Martin O’Neill and his assistant, former Town boss Roy Keane, it’ll be one of the few occasions he has been with them when at the top of his game.
Previously many of his caps have come as he has been on the way back from injury with only a couple of domestic games under his belt.
"I think he’d done well at the end of the season, he played in one of the friendlies, I can’t remember which one, and then he missed out, he was injured again, he pulled out of the last game, I think,” he said. "But if he went now, he’s fighting fit.
"I don’t know his circumstances, let’s wait and see. I’d be more concerned that his wife and the child are well and happy and the baby’s been born and then they can all decide what they want, whether he misses my game or not, that is more important than my game of football on Saturday, to be honest.”