Town boss Mick McCarthy doesn’t expect to see skipper Luke Chambers return to action this season with the central defender having dislocated a shoulder and fractured both a rib and his sternum during Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Brentford.
The Blues captain collided with keeper Bartosz Bialkowski in the first half and was forced to leave the field.
"I think he only dislocated his shoulder, fractured a rib and fractured his sternum, so he’ll probably be all right for Saturday!” McCarthy joked.
"I saw him today and he said, ‘Two weeks, gaffer’. So I said, ‘Yeah, OK, good luck with that one’.
"You know what he’s like, he’s been brilliant and certainly very, very durable but I don’t think we’ll be seeing him again, not after that, not this season anyway.”
McCarthy says Chambers, who was signed by his predecessor Paul Jewell, has been a fantastic servant for him during his five and a half years at the club.
"Wonderful, he’s a very a durable player, a really good defender and he played full-back as well for a long time,” he reflected.
"He took that and went and played there. That’s not his role and he’s enjoyed being at centre-back.
"He’s one of them that always manages to get some part of his body in the way of a shot or a cross or a header and he’s chipped in with his goals as well.
"But it’s not only his football, it’s his personality, his character around the place, both on and off the pitch which has been vital for us.”
McCarthy says Chambers is one of a number of players who are roll models for youngsters.
"We’ve got a few of those, Skusey, Waggy, Joe,” he added. "I saw Skusey the other day, a young lad was in the physio room and he goes in and he introduces himself and asks his name, ‘What’s your injury? How are you? Hope it’s OK’.
"That kind of very personal and empathetic touch, you don’t get that from first-teamers to a 12 or 13-year-old at too many places.”
McCarthy has said Chambers and Skuse both have what it takes to be managers and he says they will remain in touch once he leaves Portman Road.
"Forever, we will remain in contact,” he said. "It’s a boss and player relationship but I think it’ll be more of a friendship when I’ve left because I do get on very well with them.
"And if I can help them in any way, shape or form then I would. You don’t know who is going to make a good manager, do you, but he’s certainly got the personality I think to get players on side with him and get them playing for him.
"I see it with the lads, they all respect him, call him ‘Skip’ and look up to him.”