Town boss Mick McCarthy is confident Republic of Ireland international strike duo David McGoldrick and Daryl Murphy will be fit for the start of the season. The Blues face McCarthy's hometown club Barnsley at Portman Road in their first game of 2016/17 on Saturday 6th August.

McGoldrick suffered a hip flexor problem during the training camp in Ireland and missed the friendlies with Shelbourne and Barnet, while Murphy joined up with the rest of the squad last Tuesday having been given additional time off having been at Euro 2016.

“Murph has had two weeks off and he needs that to recover after the European Championships because he’s just gone all year round,” McCarthy told the club website.

“I’ll try to give him a break at some stage but on any international breaks, he’ll be involved so we’ll be managing him and gently getting him back in.

“The reason he only had two weeks was so that he would be fit for the start of the season and he wouldn’t decondition too much.

“Didz has got a bit of scar tissue in his upper thigh and we’re just having to manage that because we want him fit and we’re trying to nurse him back to make sure he’s fit for the start.”

Speaking previously McCarthy said he expected Murphy to get back in match action in the friendly at Cambridge United on Saturday along with new signing Adam Webster.

The Blues' next pre-season friendly is at Colchester United on Wednesday evening (KO 7.45pm).

Photo: Action Images

BlueGoonie added 17:06 - Jul 18 Both important players for us this season. Didz is arguably our most talented player, I just wish he wasn't made of glass. A fit Didz would make a huge difference for us, if we can get 30+ games out of him that would add a significant number of goals and assists which would be the equivalent of a £5m signing.
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TimmyH added 17:06 - Jul 18 Oh dear...season not even started and the same sick notes having problems already. With 2 1/2 weeks or so to the start of the new season transfer wise it has been poor, more faces out than in...no surprise there.
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blueblood66 added 17:06 - Jul 18 Murph will be knackered by January, we need to loom at cover in this aea, as we all know Dids wont stay fit.
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ericclacton added 17:08 - Jul 18 Fancy that!!!!
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blueblood66 added 17:09 - Jul 18 Sorry about the typos above, how do I edit?
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PortmanTerrorist added 17:16 - Jul 18 PLAY SEARS UP TOP ! Rotate our 2nd and 3rd best strikers (the Irish duo) around the one natural goal scorers we have at the Club and let Sears show everyone that he is ready for another step (back) up.
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planetblue_2011 added 17:31 - Jul 18 Yes we need our four strikers fit, if McGildrick is injured then must get someone else in!! Def play Sears up top he will bang the goals in again!!⚽️
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jas0999 added 17:41 - Jul 18 We will be in trouble if they aren't ready. With no wingers and Sears likely to start on the wing in which case, we will have few/no striker options. McGoldrick is a real concern.
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therein61 added 18:01 - Jul 18 Murphy has had his best season the one before last and I can only see him as an impact battering ram this year, as for Didz(if only his fitness was not in doubt) the question remains how many games will he play? i really like Pitman for his wholehearted effort but he is not the answer to whom we need up front to give Sears a chance to form a prolific partnership the guy needs someone on his wavelength unless of course he's on the wing where he's completely wasted.

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manualthetisfanclub added 18:30 - Jul 18 Forgive me but im not bothered! Sick of reading stories of this that and the other..... The only stories I'm interested in are decent signings coming in, which this club desperately need, otherwise they aren't going anywhere! Agree to some extent with jas0999, no wide players or creative midfielders is a blatant problem!
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Bluebell added 18:33 - Jul 18 We have 4 great strikers and need to utilise them in the correct way. We need to play Freddie Sears in the right position to get the best out of him. Hopefully Mick will rotate them so none of them get knackered to soon.
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whosroundisitanyway added 18:47 - Jul 18 Didn't even know I had a hip flexor?? What happened to good old groin strains & hamstrings!!?
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LimitlessBlue added 18:49 - Jul 18 Mcgoldknackered won't last the season I am afraid, Scar tissue is not something that goes away, he will either miss games due to this, or miss games due to an operation!
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Surco72 added 18:54 - Jul 18 Could be selling a young centre back and 50 % of our strikeforce could be fit for start of season , more rocking news from Portman Road to boost low season ticket sales
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rgp1 added 19:07 - Jul 18 In other news, the treatment room signs David Mcgoldrick on another 1 year contract.
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cats_whiskers added 19:42 - Jul 18 McCarthy's "Blind Faith" in his patchwork strike force is for sure going to backfire on him this season. Once August is out he won't be able to add with loans and also there isn't anyone to promote from the youths to supplement a very fragile and ordinary first choice front line. Not addressing the obvious and couple with a poor midfield will see nothing but struggles this season as wins are going to be luxuries rather than the norm.

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Bluetone added 20:34 - Jul 18 Surely we could look through the lower leagues for a stricker who scores goals for fun.
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Cloddyseedbed added 20:51 - Jul 18 Really bored with all this now, 12 months on and things only got worse. Murphy missed a bit of pre season last year and looked tired and was never the player he was the season before. Looks like the same will happen again as he's now the wrong side of 30. McGoldrick will also have the same season as last year hampered by injuries. The club have no forward plan on how to improve. 19 days to 1st Championship game and look what squad we have to compete with so far. The club is run on a shoestring and will only go one way. For God sake get a manager with some enthusiasm in. I'm not asking to spend big, never have but get some players in with something to prove who want to play football. If the scouts can't find them, sack them! If McCarthy doesn't want anybody because he thinks we're ok he's in dreamland. I don't think we can afford to play in this league anymore and many of the the fans have had enough. 19 days to Championship game and just look at us!!!!!!!!!!!! A bl**dy shambles of misfits and unfits.

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runningout added 20:58 - Jul 18 wish I could get thrilled about goings on at my once great club.. apart from Sears our forwards were pi** poor last season
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Cloddyseedbed added 21:06 - Jul 18 Radio Suffolk and EADT........all they both go on about and will again next season is past players and past highlights. How about developing a brighter future and excitement, it will never happen under this regime! I despair. Boring, boring, boring!!
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lightingblue added 21:16 - Jul 18 Providing all are fit, id start with didz and sears up front, with the bish and Bru just behind. As all have said, where and how do we supply the ammunition to the front 2, whoever the front 2 will be. If the balls not being put into box, how do expect to see a 20 goal a season sticker whoever it will be. We have the spine of a half decent team, but the limbs aren't there. TBH I cant really see Cameron Stewart really doing anything. If he hasn't yet in the time his been here, I struggle to see he will in the future. I think his just putting himself in the shop window. Now a question would be with Murphy. How could he do out wide. For those who can remember we had a big guy out wide under John Lyall in the form of Steve Whitton and played a style with diagonal balls being played to him t use his height to get us promoted?

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KiwiTractor added 21:18 - Jul 18 The striker situation is a bit of a worry - I think Murphy will start the season much like he did last year ... very slowly, due to the Euros. MM will continue to play Sears out of position. I think Pitman is much more effective off the bench, rather than starting. And McGoldrick, we'll be lucky to get 20 games out of him....
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DerryfromBury added 23:01 - Jul 18 Basically, I fear its a repeat of last season. Why on earth can't we make some decent signings, never mind loanees all the time. A football club is no difference to any other business, you have to invest to move forward otherwise you'll soon find yourself being left behind by your competitors or in the case of a football club, the opposition. Surely us loyal fans deserve better.

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unknown100 added 23:35 - Jul 18 Oh thanks god we've got hope... Phew Who needs strength in depth If not we just bought a new centre back so play him up there
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unknown100 added 23:40 - Jul 18 I can't believe 2 wingers haven't been bought in, im not asking for millions to be spent but surely 500k-750k on some lower league wingers or players from abroad or wherever, I think the funds are there and are being chosen not to be used, surely if you got to Evans and say "look we have no wingers, I've got rid of 8 odd of the first team and have spent no money in 3 years, I want x and y and need a million quid and we can get out of this league..." He wouldn't say no, and if he did, as a manager Id leave because of lack of ambition, I just have no words

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