Polish national team boss Adam Nawalka and his assistant Tomasz Iwan were at Portman Road this afternoon to watch Blues keeper Bartosz Bialkowski in action during the 0-0 draw with Burton Albion, TWTD has learned.
Bialkowski is yet to win a senior international cap but played six times for the Poland U20 side early in his career.
Speaking in October, the 30-year-old admitted he remained hopeful of being part of the Poland squad at this summer’s World Cup in Russia, where they will face Senegal, Colombia and Japan in Group H.
"Nothing has changed,” he said. "It is still my dream to play for my country and it would be great if I could do it in the World Cup. But it’s out of my hands, even if I keep believing it might happen and I’m a big believer.”
Premier League keepers Artur Boruc (Bournemouth) and Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea), along with former Arsenal number one Wojciech Szczesny, now with Juventus, and Roma’s Lukasz Skorupski, have all been ahead of the Town number one in the international pecking order.
Nawalka, 60, and Iwan, 46, will have been impressed with Bialkowski’s display against the Brewers, his second successive clean sheet.
The former Southampton and Notts County man made two vital second-half saves, first thwarting ex-Town striker Darren Bent when through one-on-one and then making a brilliant reaction stop from a Kyle McFadzean header in the closing moments.
Blues boss Mick McCarthy praised his keeper, Town’s Player of the Year for the last two seasons, following the match: "He’s great, isn’t he? He’s a good goalkeeper.”
Last month, Bialkowski agreed a new contract at Portman Road, running to the summer of 2020 with the club having an option for a further season, which he is expected to sign very shortly.