Blues manager Mick McCarthy says some of the club’s younger players could be involved in the final months of the season with Town now looking unlikely to be in the play-off shake-up. While Flynn Downes is out on loan at Luton, Tristan Nydam could well add to his senior games and striker Ben Morris and defender Luke Woolfenden may be handed their league debuts having made their senior debuts in the Carabao Cup tie at Crystal Palace in August.
"Yes, if we get them all fit,” McCarthy said when quizzed on the likelihood of the squad’s younger players being given some experience in the weeks to come.
"It’s not a shame that Flynn is out on loan because he’s been sent out for a reason and he’s playing and he’s doing great.
"But certainly Tristan and Ben Morris, and we can actually have Woolfie [Luke Woolfenden] as well because he’s out in the National League with Bromley. I would use the games to play some of those players.”
Regarding Nydam, 18, he said: "He played yesterday in the U23s and he looked tired at the end of the game. He needs some football, he’s missed a fair bit of football [due to injury].
"He’s not ready to go in the first team yet, but he will. I thought he was excellent in the first half [yesterday] on a really heavy pitch. But he needs some training and playing and to get back to being really match hardened.”
McCarthy says the England U19 international may also be feeling the effects of his first full season as part of the senior squad.
"It’s not only playing the games, it’s training every day with the first team and it’s a helluva lot more physical and intense and so it’s not only just playing the games,” he continued.
"We try and give them a break and then they get picked for the U19s or the U17s or the U18s and they go away with England and have two weeks away and play three games. That was tough for them and both Flynn and Tristan suffered with that.”
Morris, also 18, has been in fine form in the U23s recently after a slower start to the campaign.
"He’s doing great, he’s doing really well,” his manager enthused. "I thought he was excellent yesterday. He looks like he’s grown, he’s put some muscle on.
"He looks like he’s really got his confidence back and he’s got that pace, which he’s always had. But it looks like he’s starting to use it again. I’m really pleased with him.”
McCarthy says that while he could recall 19-year-old central defender or right-back Luke Woolfenden from Bromley, with his loan currently being extended month by month, he’s not keen to upset the applecart at the eighth-placed play-off-chasing National League side.
"It would be nice for him to come back and play for us but we’ve let him go out on loan to get some experience and I wouldn’t want to destroy Bromley by taking him back,” he said.
"And if he’s got a chance in being in that team that gets promoted, I think that will do him good as well because it’s a tough old league and he’s going to be a better player from coming back.
"I’m not going to be putting out that I’m [bringing him back], I’m not going to affect their chances by doing it. That’s not in my thoughts.”
McCarthy may not be the man to benefit from the development of the youngsters if he departs in the summer, but he says his job is to manage as if he will still be in charge next season whatever ultimately proves to be the case.
"I’ve been here for nearly six years and all I’ve ever done is what’s best for the club, not what’s best for me,” he added. "Never, ever have I done that. And that’s not going to change, whatever happens.”