Blues boss Paul Cook says he believes Toto Nsiala is one of the two or three best centre-halves at defending in League One.
Nsiala, 29, came back into the starting line-up at Portsmouth on Tuesday, his first League One start since suffering a hamstring injury in the opening day game against Morecambe at Portman Road.
"With Toto, obviously his hamstring injury this year set him back with us, it was at a time when, even to date, we were probably still struggling to see our best XI,” Cook said. "We had so many different injuries, lads coming in late, Samy Morsy suspended for three games etc.
"Toto’s probably, in my opinion, without doubt one of the best two or three centre-halves for defending in the division. There’s none better than him. He’s an absolute athlete, he’s a beast of a lad and one-v-one he’s nearly unplayable.
"If he can fix his mindset on achieving those goals on a pitch and perform like he did on Tuesday night on a regular basis, then the reality is he’ll be an outstanding player for us, so long may that continue.”
Nsiala and Cook go back a long way to their time together at Accrington, who Nsiala initially joined on loan from Everton in January 2012 before the move was made permanent that summer. Cook was his boss from February of that year until the October.
The Congo DR defender says he and Cook have an argument every now and again but always end up hugging out the difference of opinion.
"Not always hug it out, shall we say!” Cook laughed. "I agree with him on liking the arguments shall we say!
"Listen, Toto’s a very passionate boy, he really does care and when you care like that and you have people who care around you, it’s always good to see.
"I think for our supporters and for me, the pleasing thing is the connection between the supporters and the players.
"I think it’s quite apparent for everyone to see that that’s growing, and that should be harnessed when you don’t have good times as well.
"We need our support so badly and we need to give those supporters something to cheer about, and that’s one of the things that we work on.”