Dom Ball is looking to progress further than ever before in a cup competition when Town take on top-flight Fulham in a Carabao Cup fourth round tie at Portman Road tomorrow evening.
In keeping with a number of players likely to start against a side currently sitting 14th in the Premier League table, Ball has been ever-present as the Blues have KO’d Bristol Rovers, Reading and Wolves to reach the last 16.
Ball, 28, was drafted in to play a defensive role on all three occasions and with manager Kieran McKenna not afraid to rotate his squad – he made 10 changes to the team that defeated Wolves 3-2 in the previous round – it will be no surprise if he reshuffles his pack again for the visit of the Cottagers.
It was while at previous club QPR that Ball came close to reaching the quarter-final stage of the Carabao Cup and he recalled: "We met Everton at home in the third round and drew 2-2 then we won 8-7 in a penalty shoot-out to go through to where we are now.
"We had another home draw, this time against Sunderland, and we drew again, 0-0. So, another penalty shoot-out and unfortunately we went out so we missed our chance to make the quarter-finals.
"I love the night games and we’ve had three different types of games so far to get to this stage.
"We’ve stood up to all of them and it will be different once again tomorrow night, which we’re ready for. We always watch videos of the opposition to see how we can use our strengths in terms of personnel and tactics.
"We’ll put the hours in as best we can for this game. Of course, it’s against a Premier League team and that represents a huge challenge, but these are the games that we need to step up to.”
The fact that McKenna can ring the changes – he actually made 11 for each of the games against Bristol Rovers and Reading – speaks volumes for the depth and quality of the senior squad he has assembled in his 22 months with the club after leaving his role as a first-team coach at Manchester United to become Town boss.
Another bonus is that each and every one of the players who have been introduced for Carabao Cup ties, and who have also featured from the bench in the club’ 12 Championship fixtures to date, have shown they are more than capable of performing at this level.
Ball, who has also appeared as a substitute in three of Town’s league games in the current campaign, added: "We can’t have sulkers. We’re a very big, strong squad and we’re ready, all of us, to play when needed.
"The manager has also made changes for league games, as well as the Carabao Cup. Maybe not as many, but I think the performances have always been there.
"It can make it difficult when you’re changing, say, 11 players who have maybe not played together very often, but we train hard enough to fully understand our roles when we go out there.
"All the players accept it’s a squad game and that it has to be because we are playing every three or four days a lot of the time. It’s very intense and you always have to be ready, especially at this level and the level we train at.
"It’s all down to the training. I don’t think any individual here, whether you’re in the team, on the bench or even outside the match-day squad, you are getting the work in. That’s more the case here than anywhere else I’ve played. We’ve got to be match-ready, simple as that.
"Because of the intensity of how we play, you have to be 100 per cent fit. We’ve got top coaches who put on sessions for us to ensure we are like that.
"We do 11-v-11 sessions – during the international break we had a couple of them – so you are exposed to that.
"Of course, you are not going to be as match-fit as if you had played four games in a row, but I think in a League Cup game you’ll be up for it.
"The tie against Fulham is extra motivation for the squad as a whole. There are going to be changes but it’s also an opportunity for some players to get a game.
"Whilst the team is on an incredible run, which you have to respect and appreciate, all we can do as players is to do as well as we can in the other games when we play.
"We all realise this is a great opportunity to get into the quarter-finals. I’m not sure how many of the lads have got into a cup quarter-final before but I know I haven’t and that is definitely motivation for me, not only to get into the last eight but even further if possible.”
Ball took the opportunity to thank those who attended an event, organised in conjunction with the official Supporters’ Club, which took place in the Sir Bobby Robson Suite at Portman Road on 16th October and saw the player and Chris Green, editor of his book, From Winning Teams to Broken Dreams, along with representatives of the Sarcoma UK charity, take part in a Q and A session with audience members.
He said: "It was brilliant and went really well. I was very grateful that the club were able to put something on like that and there was a load of support there. We raised money for the Ipswich Town Foundation and Sarcoma UK, and it was obviously great to speak about my book again.
"Everyone does their own things here and it’s important to learn, improve and develop within the environment the manager has created here, while the media team have pushed that massively, so it’s brilliant.”