Dominic Thompson is singing the praises of Town skipper Sam Morsy — and not just because the experienced midfielder netted his first goal for the club in Saturday’s 2-0 win at lowly Fleetwood.
Thompson, who is on loan from Premier League outfit Brentford until the end of the season, has also paid tribute to the captain’s power of persuasion when it comes to the ice baths that are part and parcel of the players’ conditioning routine.
He said: "Sam was serving his suspension when I first came on board but I heard a lot about him. I could see from the work he put into training, and then when he returned to the side, what he had to offer.
"He brought all the stuff I had seen in training into the team along with the other lads had said he would bring.
"I think he’s a similar player to me — he rats around the midfield, brings an intensity to the game and gees everyone else up. He’s great in midfield and a great captain, a true professional.
"It’s also true he can be very persuasive when it comes to getting me in the ice bath, even when I don’t want to do it. He’s helped me get over the mental barrier — by pulling me in!
"He’s not only first in, he’s last out and he submerges himself, head as well, in the water — he’s proper hard core. He’s got me in so that my shoulders are just under the water but that’s it.
"He also has the ability to extract the best out of everyone and even if we’re only getting one per cent better it can still help to make us, as a team, the best we can be.”
Thompson’s only frustration so far is that he has failed to score in his eight-game run and he understands comparisons with Wes Burns, the right wing-back who has 10 goals in the bag, could give the impression he should be contributing more.
He added: "Wes is a natural winger, I believe, and I’m a natural full-back, so the way we play offers more of a variation, with him in more of an attacking role and me being a bit more defensive.
"On the defensive side, which is always my first thought, I work well within the team and I’m always thinking that if we don’t concede goals, it gives us a better chance of taking something from games.
"But I’m just like every other player — we all want to contribute in whatever way we can — and I know it would be a nice feeling to score a goal.
"It’s something that hasn’t happened yet in my professional career and it would be great if I can experience it here before the last 10 games — or maybe 13 — through to the end of the season.
"I don’t have a celebration lined up, it would just be something off the cuff if and when the occasion arrives.”
Thompson is building a strong understanding with left-sided defender George Edmundson and continued: "We get on really well off the pitch, as well as on it, and that always helps when it comes to match day. It’s still early days, though, and we’re still learning.
"I think our relationship can get a lot stronger with time. We haven’t done too badly so far but we’re always looking to improve going forward. Our working relationship is really strong and if there are any disputes during games we handle the situation really well and stick together.”
Asked if he has looked at Town’s final 10 league games and has any idea how many wins it will take to gatecrash the top six, Thompson said: "I’ve just glanced at the remaining games but I haven’t sat down and said ‘We’ll get this many points here and this many there’.
"The main thing is that we progress from week to week and it still remains a possibility, which I believe it is 100 per cent. It just means we have to take every game as it comes.
"We’ve got some good teams to play, including some who will be feeling positive about their play-off chances and who are possibly better footballing sides than some we have played recently, and are better placed in the table.
"Morecambe was a tough game, so was Fleetwood until maybe the last 20-25 minutes or so, and maybe playing against some of the better sides will suit us more. We definitely feel we are capable of taking three points from each of the games we have left and that’s what we will be looking to do.”
Up next for Town is a home clash with bottom-half side Lincoln City and he added: "We all saw what Lincoln could do last season when they made it into the play-offs and were known for the quality of their football.
"We still regard them highly for the way they play and we respect them for it. But, as always, it will be about us, how we perform, how we control the game and take the game to them.
"I’ve played three times at Portman Road so far and the crowds have always been around the 20,000 mark. It’s great to walk out of the tunnel and see it, hear it and feel it. With even more fans at the Lincoln game — over 24,000 I’ve heard — it should be an even better atmosphere and our aim should be to keep our form going right to the end of the season and pack the place.”
Asked what he thought if his new surroundings in Suffolk, Thompson replied: "It’s definitely scenic. I’m looking around, getting a lot of fresh air and generally taking it easy.
"I don’t do much in my off time to be honest. I’m more about recovering and just chilling, ready for the next game, but I’m enjoying the change of environment from London.”
Would he be interested in staying permanently if the chance was offered? He said: "With the size of the club, its history, the stadium, the support from the fans, a permanent move isn’t something a player could easily turn down and I’m enjoying life here at the moment. Who knows what the future holds?”