Former Blues midfielder Scott Fraser, who joined Charlton on deadline day, has admitted his frustration at being played in a left-sided midfield role for most of his short spell at Portman Road.
The 26-year-old signed for the Blues from the MK Dons in the summer but made only 18 starts and two sub appearances for Town, scoring his only goal on his debut, before departing on Monday, a move manager Kieran McKenna revealing yesterday that the former Burton man was "desperate to go”.
Having impressed and scored regularly for the Dons playing centrally - 14 in his one season at Stadium MK - Fraser was surprised that ex-Blues boss Paul Cook used him in a narrow left-sided role. Fraser didn’t feature at all under McKenna, although was unavailable for some of that time due to a knee injury.
"Never at any point was I thinking I was going to go there and be played out on the left wing,” Fraser told the South London Press.
"With the numbers I’d achieved over the last few seasons I’d done that playing centrally — whether that was as a number eight or a left-sided number 10.
"I never achieved them by playing out wide. It’s similar to asking a winger to play as a number 10 — the skillset is not the same in any way.
"I never really got the chance. The chats I had before were that I was going to a big club and you’re going to be the one that is going to help us, very much, get to the Championship. It never worked out like that. That’s football sometimes.”
Fraser, who Charlton were initially keen to sign a couple of seasons ago when former Town midfielder Lee Bowyer was manager, was hoping his time with the Blues would win him international recognition.
"That again was one of the biggest frustrations of the Ipswich situation,” he continued. "I was told the season before that I was close and they [Scotland] were more aware of me than ever which, for a player in League One, speaks volumes.
"They told me I had to be playing at a higher standard on a regular basis in front of big crowds.
"I had that opportunity, in my head, at Ipswich. Now I’ve got the chance again at Charlton to play for a massive club in front of great fans — really kicking on, in terms of me and the club going up to the Championship, has got to be the aim to help all of us.
"Once a manager and whole club show that much faith to go and pay the money — and give me a long contract — it shows how much they wanted me.”"
Having joined Charlton he says he believes the three-man midfield boss Johnnie Jackson utilises suits him.
"One hundred per cent” he added. "Even from watching the game on Monday [a 2-1 win at Portsmouth] I was seeing positions I could get into.
"I was thinking ‘I wish the deal had got done earlier so I could get on the pitch’. It was a game I would’ve loved. We got a fantastic result. I’m sure when I get in the team I’ll enjoy it.
"I’ve got a Twitter account but I don’t really use it. Tracey [Leaburn], our player liaison, was telling me she can’t quite remember a reception like I got on social media.
"I thank the fans for that. To make my debut in front of them on Saturday [against AFC Wimbledon] is something I’m really looking forward to. Hopefully we can nick a result.
"This should be a Championship club. They had a slow start to the season but since the gaffer came in they have really picked up. We need to get some positive momentum which we can finish off this season and also take into the next one.”