Blues boss Mick McCarthy felt his skipper Luke Chambers galvanised the Town defence as he made his return from injury during last week’s 2-0 home victory over Bolton Wanderers.
Chambers, 31, had missed the previous three league games with an ankle injury he suffered in the 4-3 win at Millwall.
"He didn’t walk back [into the team] actually, he hobbled back in,” McCarthy joked. "It was remarkable he was back so soon.
"I’ve said before, I don’t know how he stayed on the pitch at Millwall, that was remarkable, considering he then missed four weeks from that injury.
"He didn’t injure it at the end of the game, he injured it in the first half when he went down and had treatment.
"And the level of fitness that he’s kept and worked at just to walk back into the game on Saturday and play as well as he did and have the effect that he did [was remarkable], because he really did galvanise that defence, he was terrific.”
How much of a difference does he make to the side? "A huge difference, not only his ability on the pitch and what he does but his personality as a captain.
"Those are the things that are not really noticed or too many people think about until they’re not there, or until they come back and then it stands out as much as it did with Chambo.
"When we were discussing his contract this time last year and then all the way round to the last knockings of the season, they were all the reasons I wanted to re-sign him because that’s what he brings to the table. He’s very, very good. I’ve said before, he’s as good a captain as I’ve ever had.”
McCarthy says he views the former Northampton and Nottingham Forest man, who has been at Portman Road since 2012, as a manager of the future and has already asked if he can be part of his backroom team.
"I’ve offered him my services as an assistant if he’d like to be a manager somewhere down the line,” he laughed.
"Maybe in another 10 years if he fancies an old fart just giving him a little bit of [advice], ‘Maybe you might want to try that…’
"I said it to him because I see him as a manager and I thought that might just be my chance just to keep earning a few quid later on.
"I do think he’ll be a manager and he loves it as well. Quite clearly he loves the game, he loves football, which you’d like to think all footballers do, although I’m not sure that’s the case.
"He does and he likes that leadership role and I think he likes the fact that the lads call him ‘Skip’ and look up to him and respect him for what he does, for what he’s done and what he’s achieved. But the enthusiasm that he brings as well is great.”