Cameron Burgess is strictly adhering to Town’s ‘one game at a time’ mantra, fielding questions with all the skill of a top politician as they head for Watford this evening
As has been the case so often this season, the Australian international defender refused to buckle and instead focused on the business in hand when the subject of Town’s eagerly awaited derby clash with Norwich City at Portman Road on Saturday crept into the conversation.
Indeed, when another question popped up about his likely involvement in the forthcoming AFC Asian Cup tournament being staged in Qatar between 12 January and 10 February, it was met with a similar response from the 28-year-old Scottish-born player.
Burgess admitted he has long been aware of the anticipation attached to the East Anglian derby and added: "I think the excitement has been picked up since we managed to get promotion. We’re well aware of it but there’s a job to do first at Watford tonight.
"We’ve never been a team to look too far ahead. It’s all about the next game and we’ll get that one out of the way and hopefully put on a good performance and then we can look forward to what comes next.
"It will be an exciting time for the club, for the fans and obviously for us lot as players as well. It will definitely be a special occasion but, like I said, another big game on Tuesday night for us.”
Town will go to Vicarage Road on the back of a splendid 2-0 win at Middlesbrough on Saturday and with a terrific record on the road this season – six wins, three draw and just one defeat, which was at West Bromwich Albion last month, and a mere eight goals conceded. So, they will surely not be lacking belief or confidence.
Burgess added: "Always, we have to believe in every game. That’s the style of play we’ve got and that’s the type of lads we have in the dressing room.
"We go and believe we can win every game and that’s what we go and try and do, so it will be no different against Watford.”
And the Asian Cup? "I think we’ll deal with that when we come to it,” he said. "I need to get selected first, that’s for sure.
"Obviously, it’s my club form that gets me in that team and that’s always going to be the case, so if I can keep doing well for Ipswich then that gets me a selection for the national team and we’ll see what happens if and when that comes.”
Asked if it would be a tough call, he replied: "It certainly would, certainly would. The thing is, you can’t go and jinx it either.
"If I go and tell you, yes, I’m doing this or I’m doing that and then I don’t get selected then it’s on me then, isn’t it? I mean, I’ve just got to keep doing well for Ipswich and, like I said before, one game at a time and we’ve got a big game coming up tonight. Let’s deal with that one first.”
On the subject f the club’s away form – they have collected 21 points on their travels compared to 27 at home – he was asked what it says the current group of Ipswich players that the respective tallies are so close.
He added: "Probably just what a lot of people already know, just the mentality of the group of lads and the character and the sort of make-up of the dressing room really, and all staff in general really. It’s just a case of having the right attitude to go into the games and yes, it’s worked so far.”
Saturday’s clean sheet was Town’s first in eight Championship fixtures and Burgess said: "Yes, it was really good. Obviously, we had probably deserved a couple over the last sort of month or so and not got them, conceding a few late goals or a few early goals here and there.
"It meant a lot I think, especially to the lads at the back – they’ve worked hard on that – and it was nice to get that clean sheet over the line.”
Burgess also hailed the form of Czech goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky, ever-present this season after only starting on the opening day of the campaign because of a foot injury to previous number one Walton.
The ex-St Mirren and Salford City keeper has consistently caught the eye because of his calm and accurate distribution from the back.
"Obviously, that’s his game,” said Burgess. "This is a team where we’re going to play with a keeper at the back and both our keepers, all our keepers in fact, are exactly the same.
"They’re all good with their feet and it plays into Vas’s hands really well. He loves to have the ball at his feet and show what he can do with that aspect of his game. It’s one of his big strengths, that’s for sure.”