Portsmouth manager Danny Cowley says Blues manager Paul Cook is a “great guy”, despite their respective clubs not having always seen eye to eye during the summer transfer window.
The Blues tried to gazump Pompey’s move for Luton’s Joe Morrell, while Town pulled out of a deal which would have seen them sign Michael Jacobs from the Hampshire side at the last minute to sign free agent Kyle Edwards instead.
But Cowley says he has a good relationship with Cook, who himself was manager of Portsmouth from May 2015 to May 2017.
"I know Paul pretty well, I’ve got to know him over the years and managed against him many times,” Cook told Portsmouth News.
"He’s a great guy, a good character, larger than life. He lives in the fast lane, loves his football and enjoys his life. Good on him.
"We will be doing everything we can to win the game for our respective clubs, but afterwards no doubt he will come to the manager’s office and have a beer from our fridge.
"I don’t drink, it will be more for them! They’ve got a long trip back so we’ll make sure we look after them.
"We obviously came across each other a few times during the last transfer window. With Joe Morrell, as managers you are kind of after similar players. We couldn't compete with Ipswich financially, but Joe is probably a different one because of our relationship.
"Paul had every right, he knows a good player, that’s why he wanted Joe. In the case of Michael Jacobs, unfortunately that didn’t happen and that can occur in football sometimes.
"Paul and I spoke about it, he’s a good guy and worked with Michael before. It wasn’t ideal with the way it unfolded.
"It’s a great game, but, as managers, we don’t have all the control in these situations, sometimes other things happen.
"We can always have the best of intentions and somebody like Paul certainly does — and has good values. For whatever reason, that transfer didn't happen.
"It's never personal, it’s just professional. In football, you have to respect what is professional and what is personal, and make sure they don’t overlap.
"When the final whistle goes, whatever happens, you leave it behind, thank your opponent and move forward.”
On the squad Cook assembled over the summer, Cowley added: "Paul has a clear way of playing and been a very good manager everywhere he’s gone.
"He has recruited really, really well this summer, putting together a very strong team. I would imagine it’s probably the strongest squad of players he’s ever had for the relative level.
"They haven't just quite managed to get the consistency of results. I am sure when he does, he’ll have similar successes at Ipswich.”