Town boss Mick McCarthy says midfielder Teddy Bishop will be finding his long spell out injured “really difficult” with a hamstring problem having prevented the 19-year-old from playing a single senior game so far this season.

Bishop has been out of first-team action since pre-season initially due to shin splints - which also hampered him at the end of last season - and then a hamstring injury.

The Cambridge-born youngster played for the U21s at Birmingham in mid-September, then in the home game against Crystal Palace at the end of October but hasn’t been involved since.

“He’s still injured unfortunately,” McCarthy said. “He broke down again a couple of weeks ago with his hamstring, so he’s just having treatment and we are eagerly awaiting his comeback, whenever that might be.”

The Blues boss says the club are leaving no stone unturned as they look to get the academy product back to full fitness.

“We do try everything, all the treatments you can think of and all the people we can think of,” he added.

“Sometimes it happens. When a player’s been growing it throws the body out of kilter and [the injury] does come back, whatever it might be. I’ve no idea, he’s just got a weakness somewhere, we’ve seen it with players [before] that sometimes it just is that.

“We have to isolate it, which we’ve done, get it better, strengthen it and hopefully he’ll be back playing soon.”

McCarthy says he's seen plenty of players similarly suffer during their careers: “I remember seeing Ryan Giggs always had a hamstring strain and he played about 800 games, however that happened.

“We had one here, Kieron Dyer, who was injured lots of time for whatever reasons, so of course I’ve seen it.

“And I went to Sunderland and Matt Piper, who was a really good player, a winger, he had trouble with his groins and couldn’t get them right and it’s really sad to see, even more so when they are so talented.

“I hope he’s back soon, for him, because it’s [really frustrating]. I was out for about 12 weeks at Celtic when I was there and it’s horrible being at the training ground because you don't want to walk round smiling because everybody thinks you’re happy and you shouldn’t be because you’re injured.

“That doesn’t bother me but I’ve had managers like that, ‘What are you smiling at? You’ve been injured for 12 weeks’. It’s nonsense.

“And then people start saying ‘Is he a sicknote?’, ‘Is he ever going to be fit?’. All those conspiracy theories that we’ve had about David McGoldrick. They all start going and, of course, this nonsense on social media feeds all that.

“It’s really difficult for him, it’s really difficult for Bish as a young kid because he wants to be playing and footballers are never happy except when they’re playing.

“You get in a bit of a low when you’re injured for such a long time and you can’t see an end to it.”

McCarthy says Bishop’s return whenever it comes is something he is very much looking forward to: “It’ll be fantastic.”

Photo: Action Images

iaintaylorx added 07:14 - Jan 6 we're all looking forward for the bish to return. a "proper footballer" in mick's words and we are crying out for his vision!
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floridaboy added 07:15 - Jan 6 Hope he is back soon Out of curiosity does he have to hand in a doctors certificate as to the reason he is not working Just wondering!!!😁😁😁😁
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BotesdaleBlue added 07:16 - Jan 6 Lets keep our fingers crossed we will see Bish in a blue shirt again this season. I hope your luck changes soon young man. One other point. Is it just me, but I feel uncomfortable continuously reading and hearing young players described as an academy "product". Surely there is a better way to describe young talent than that; or is it just another sign that the football is less of a game and more of a business nowadays.

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DanLyles added 07:56 - Jan 6 Looking forward to seeing Teddy return, will be interesting to see where Mick plays him. Great first touch, always looks to pass forward and not afraid to take on an opponent. When him and Didz are back we will have fantastic strength in depth going forward. Say McCarthy continues to favour Bru behind Fraser, Murphy and Sears then that would leave us with Pitman, Didz, AMN, Oar and the Bish as potential options from the bench. One obvious reason we struggle to keep possession in certain games is that we play two holding men who are not necessarily the most gifted footballers. Although they do an important job for the team they are far more prone to the heavy touch, the stray or sideways pass. IF Mick was to play with just one of Skuse or Hyam alongside Bru (who would drop slightly deeper but whose passing and cultured style has had an impact since his return) in a 4-2-1-3 (similar to a 4-2-3-1) we would still be protected defensively but then somebody like Bishop (when fit) could also play (as the '1') and I think we would retain possession better and supply a very talented front three with more ammunition.

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blueherts added 08:14 - Jan 6 class player
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iaintaylorx added 08:14 - Jan 6 Great point Dan! I do like both Hyam and Skuse, but maybe not together. Skuse alongside Bru would be ideal, but I don't ever see MM playing anything other than a 4-3-3 or the usual 4-4-2. Bru tends to drop deep to receive the ball and find those pockets of space as we know what he is capable of. We will have a very strong bench IMO once everyone is fit and real game changers. You mention a 4-2-1-3 and I think that would be perfect with the player we have. Feel free to agree or disagree, but once everyone is fully fit, my starting 11 would be (as the 4-2-1-3: Bart Chambers, Smith, Berra, Parr/Knudsen Skuse, Bru Bishop Sears, Murphy, Fraser Gerken Malarczyk Parr/Knudsen Hyam Oar McGoldrick Pitman

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Stato added 08:57 - Jan 6 4231 for me and that way you can play Hyam and skuse as the 2 with sears fraser and bishop playing behind Murphy when playing away and then at home go 4132 with skuse or Hyam playing behind oar bishop fraser with sears and Murphy up front. More rotation than Mick uses and probably a lot more excitement at Portman Road
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minesapint added 09:07 - Jan 6 Just had an email from an old mate who supports Barnsley. He says Paul Digby is real class, a great passer but - wait for it - terribly injury-prone.
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algarvefan added 09:08 - Jan 6 Get well soon Bish, we need you for the final push, then it will all have been worth it!
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blueherts added 09:24 - Jan 6 No Niles in the squad ? def worth a place on bench ?
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BlueKush added 10:45 - Jan 6 We're doing really well considering we've had no Bishop all season. His return will be better than any new signing could be, but Bru and Douglas are doing the business just fine at the moment. People starting rumours about McGoldrick being injured isn't a conspiracy theory. There's only one conspiracy "theory" - that the families that own the dollar and the banking system run the world from behind the scenes, sponsoring, bankrolling and blackmailing politicians, getting them to pass laws and start wars in line with their vision for what they themselves coin a "New World Order" behind the facade and charade of "Representative Democracy". A global fascist state with a helpless microchipped population is their ultimate vision, their current project "The War on Terror" their current catalyst. They also want a much reduced population. And it's all going to plan! COYB

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iaintaylorx added 11:01 - Jan 6 blueherts.. I completely forgot about AMN!!
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Lightningboy added 11:10 - Jan 6 You have to wonder about all these clever-dicks with their "sports science" fitness programmes these days...are player's getting trained to such a level that the slightest twinge and they end up with groin strains,hamstrings etc etc...look at Liverpool last night,3 players went off with hamstring injuries! They'd all be better off taking a leaf out of the Mickey Quinn fitness regime.

3

Furrow added 12:19 - Jan 6 Mickey Quinn "Run a mile to the pub, five pints, then run home"
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Langdon_Blue added 13:10 - Jan 6 Iaintaylorx - No room for Maitland-Niles or Douglas in your matchday 18. The bench looks nearly as strong as the starting 11. For that reason I think we'll see at least 6-7 changes to the team playing in the FA Cup. Back on subject I can't wait for Bishop to get fit again!
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runningout added 15:26 - Jan 6 Must go on loan when fit.. Think Bishop (not Bish as I don't know him) has a lot of improving to do, as I hope he is aware
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 15:33 - Jan 6 If (seems a rather big "if") and when (seems a rather distant "when") Bishop finally gets back in the team, we can't expect him to simply take off where he left before. It's bound to take time to get up to speed after such a long layoff. I'm not very optimistic he will be able to contribute much this season, but I hope I'm wrong.
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Seasider added 16:32 - Jan 6 Think MIck should assume that Teddy Bishop will not be playing on a regular basis this season if ever,and go out and buy somebody,as Derby have yet again. Not saying that we should upset the powers that be to much and blatantly ignore FFP as they are doing;but for the longest serving Championship club by far now surely this would be the ideal time;as I presume Stewart,Tabby,Coke and possibly Toure wont be on the wage bill next season.? If Didsy and 'the Bish' do come back then this would be a bonus.

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blueherts added 17:33 - Jan 6 I would go get Zach Clough - should be available as Bolton need to sell and George Moncur from Col U - Striker and a Mid - happy days - not sure how much of Dids and Bish we will see this season
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Currie10 added 18:26 - Jan 6 I remember having shin splints at 17, weirdest injury ever. Fine walking, jogging then around 2/3 mins into a game I'd have throbbing pain and have to come off. Happened for absolutely ages but I'd often feel fine the next day. Really feel for Teddy as from memory it was a horrible injury.
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patrickswell added 18:45 - Jan 6 But Mick, McGoldrick IS a sick note. 3 seasons running now...
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TimmyH added 20:32 - Jan 6 Strange...I thought initially Bish had a hamstring injury at the start of the season and then shin splints thereafter but now we hear it's the other way around!?! Doesn't look like he's going to return any time soon so perhaps a dabble in the January transfer window for a creative goal scoring midfielder Mick if by loan or permanent deal?
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sidtheswan added 07:12 - Jan 7 Bit worried for Bish as had a lot of injuries . Hope he's studying while he's injured as maybe his body's not up to being a professional which would be a shame as is top quality when he plays .
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