Tommy Smith says he’s looking forward to testing himself against former Blues loanee Giovani Dos Santos when he, Town youngster Monty Patterson and the rest of the New Zealand squad face Mexico in their second group game at the Confederations Cup in Sochi this evening (ITV4 from 6.30pm).

Dos Santos, 28, now with MLS side the LA Galaxy, spent the final couple of months of the 2008/09 season with the Blues from Tottenham, netting four goals in six starts and two sub appearances during one of Portman Road’s most memorable loan spells.

“I was just coming back from a quite major injury when he was at Ipswich,” Smith recalled when speaking exclusively to Michael Pentti-Smith of Omnisport yesterday.

“I think I only played one game with him and that was the last game of the season [a 2-1 home victory over Coventry], but he is obviously a fantastic player who has gone on to have a fantastic career and he’s doing amazing things in America now.

“It’ll be good to test myself against him again and maybe have a chat with him after the game.”

Smith, 27, who has won 33 full caps, scoring twice, is a certain starter on the left of the All Whites’ three-man backline with Patterson likely to be among the subs, as was the case in the opening game, Saturday’s 2-0 loss to hosts Russia in St Petersburg.

The 20-year-old striker or midfielder, who is yet to make his senior debut for the Blues, has won 12 full caps, netting once.

Following today’s match, New Zealand play Portugal in their final group game on Saturday afternoon with the whole squad looking forward to facing Cristiano Ronaldo.

“It’s excitement more than anything,” Smith added. “Obviously we’ve got an important game to come before that but I’m sure everyone will be really excited to pit their wits against one of the world’s best so it will be a great experience if he’s on the pitch.”

Who does he rate as the greatest player he has faced in his career up to now? “Neymar, without a shadow of a doubt in the 2012 Olympics. He looked like he was stuck in second gear but I still couldn’t get near him.”

He says the Brazil and Barcelona man is one of a number of players on the coat-tails of Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

“You look at that next level, you’ve got Neymar, maybe you’d put [Gareth] Bale in there as well, [Alexis] Sanchez, people like that, those sorts of players are at that very high level.

“That is what you play football for, to come up against the best players you can and test yourself against them.”

Patterson left, Smith second left in action against Russia

Smith says he’s enjoying his time in Russia, despite the first result going against his side.

“Yeah it’s a really good country, we’ve spent most of our time in St Petersburg and it is a really impressive city, lots of history there and I managed to take a bit of that in and I’m enjoying it so far.”

It’s not the first time Smith has been at a big international tournament having featured for the All Whites at a World Cup as well as the London Olympics.

“It was a brilliant occasion, I was only young at the time so I probably didn’t take it in as much as I would have done now,” he reflected on the 2010 World Cup in South Africa where he played in New Zealand’s three games which all ended in draws.

“At the time it was very surreal and brilliant and obviously to go unbeaten was unbelievable really.

“And we came up against Italy at the time and managed to draw with them so it was just a shame we couldn’t quite push on and get through the group stages there.”

Who did he find the toughest opponent that afternoon? “On the day it was probably [Riccardo] Montolivo, he was very good. [Mauro] Camoranesi was good. They had some impressive players.

“[Fabio] Cannavaro was playing and being a centre-half myself he was one of my idols growing up, so it was just a great experience.”

Moving on to life with Town, Smith hopes the Blues’ disappointing 2016/17 campaign will prove to be a temporary aberration.

"The season just gone was fairly disappointing because we didn't reach the heights we have done in the previous two seasons, so we'll be looking to get back on track and push for the top six,” he continued.

"I think any team in the Championship will start the season looking to get in the play-offs because it is a crazy league and if you get some momentum going there is no stopping you.

"I think if you look at the budget [manager Mick McCarthy] has had and the success he's had previously, last season was just a blip in the road and hopefully we'll get back on track, and hopefully he is still the man to do the job.”

In addition to his international commitments, the centre-half’s summer also includes duties at the Tommy Smith Soccer School which he launched in 2015.

“I set something up for school holidays," he explained. "There are not that many things in and around Ipswich that are football specific, so I wanted to give back something to the local community which has given me so much.

“It’s great that it fills up most times and the kids enjoy themselves and hopefully we can enjoy ourselves along the way.”

Getting back to today’s reunion with Dos Santos and the game against Mexico, Smith says it’s imperative that New Zealand, who are captained by another former Blues loanee Chris Wood, take something from it, ideally a victory.

“We’ve got to hope to get three points,” he added. “If we lose that match it might be our tournament over here over early, so we’re going into it with no other thoughts other than getting the three points.”

Photos: Contributed/Action Images

Pencilpete added 11:56 - Jun 21 Literally couldn't be less interested !
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mojo added 12:17 - Jun 21 I think I will tune in tonight. Always good to watch ex, current and potential new first XI players in action. I don't know much about the Confed Cup though.
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PortmanTerrorist added 12:53 - Jun 21 Nice read, even if the only thing that i am left with is him "hoping" for a better season. Tommy, like the rest of us, is resigned to hope now we have shown there is no actual plan for a better season. Me and MM need to pull their fingers out and prove us wrong. COYB and please prove me wrong. There i go hoping again !
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TractorCam added 13:02 - Jun 21 Pencilpete you don't have to read it.
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ThatMuhrenCross added 14:38 - Jun 21 It's still odd to think that an academy player of ours (Patterson) is capable of sharing the same pitch as a player of Ronaldo's stature, yet not be deemed good enough for our first team.
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Bluebongo added 14:51 - Jun 21 Will be good to watch Gio Dos Santos again, probably the best loan player ever to wear the town shirt.Remember him Pencilpete ?
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Seasider added 15:56 - Jun 21 At only 28 Gio could still do a good job for Ipswich in the midfield;but as with most players,don't suppose we can afford his wages. Sad times!
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midastouch added 09:25 - Jun 23 This is what I liked about Magilton, he targeted more flair players from a much broader range of countries. Since Magilton too many of our players have come from across the water but in the wrong direction, as in Ireland rather than Europe or South America. Now that's not to say all Irish players aren't up to the job. Murphy did alright didn't he! But on the international stage while both teams are punching above their weight, they still aren't exactly world beaters! I'd rather look beyond Ireland or these shores even, and try and unearth some talent from further elsewhere. Surely there must be some good young players in Holland for example. With Magilton we seemed more prepared to look at players from other less obvious places. That's not to say Jim didn't have other problems, I should imagine he had a bit of a temper, but in the transfer market he didn't do bad. He even brought back Counago, can you imagine McCarthy every doing something like that, not a chance!

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shakytown added 11:46 - Jun 23 Bluebongo. You will never see a player with his class at portman road with our dreary monolithic manager. Slow talentless plodders and real blokes are the only thing the useless moronic git rates. Another season of tragic rubbish is certain.
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