Interim boss John McGreal says striker James Norwood has trained with the first team this morning and is available for selection ahead of Saturday’s trip to Wigan Athletic.

Norwood has been training with the U23s - and has scored in each of the last two games - and has been transfer-listed ahead of the January window.

The 31-year-old intimated in a tweet that that decision wasn’t made by former boss Paul Cook, however, speaking to TWTD on Monday, CEO Mark Ashton said that whether Norwood was selected was down to the manager.

Asked whether he’s able to play Norwood at his lunchtime press conference, McGreal said: “Of course I can. He’s come back in, he’s trained with the guys this morning, he’s been excellent, he needed minutes in the U23s.

“He’s a personality around the club at the moment, so he’s there, if we need him, to be called upon.”

The Liverpudlian says he knows Norwood well from facing him in League Two: “I know a lot about Nors. When I was at Colchester he scored a couple of goals against me at Colchester, so I know a lot of his strengths, I know a lot of his personality as well.

“We’ve passed each other over the years, not that I’ve got a relationship with Nors but I know of him and it just seems a professional that tries hard on the pitch.

“That’s all know of, he tries hard on the pitch, on the training pitch, I don’t know him off the pitch as such. I can only judge what he does on the pitch and the training pitch.”

Norwood is a big character and McGreal said character is something the team needs to show following the disappointing defeat at Charlton on Tuesday.

“It is,” he said. “Each and every individual’s got a personality. It’s a different personality to the next man.

“ I actually said to the guys the other night, ‘You’ve all been on the floor before, to get yourselves back up again, to play for Ipswich, you must have done something right or you must have dragged something from within yourself to be be a better player, so you know what? You’ve got to do that again. And it’s easy because you know you’ve done it before, so let’s go again’.

“It’s all positivity if we can, getting into the boys and bringing that inner belief again, and it will come. You don’t turn into a bad player overnight, so the more we can get into them the more we can train, the better they’ll become.”

Photo: Matchday Images

Chris_ITFC added 13:38 - Dec 9 Let's face it, for all of his off-field issues, the sad reality is he brings more drive, determination and desire on the pitch than any of that sorry 11 on Tuesday night.
32

Sir_Bob added 13:38 - Dec 9 Oh he's a character all right.
2

The_Prof added 13:41 - Dec 9 About time too.
8

cat added 13:42 - Dec 9 Why not give him a chance, okay he's had his issues but one things for sure, he'll give us an edge and some well needed energy.
20

Blue_75 added 13:42 - Dec 9 Very happy with this. A fit Norwood offers a constant goal threat and doesn't give the opposition a minute's rest. The prospect of him and Bonne together is very exciting!
22

arc added 13:42 - Dec 9 Wow. The club really is in a complete state of chaos right now, isn't it?
-18

Karlosfandangal added 13:44 - Dec 9 Would still love to see Bonne and Pigott up front together, however will the new manager want to buy Bonne. Not sure of the Norwood thing, goal and assist per game are good but gets injured a lot and off field antics not good. If he puts that all behind him then a Pigott Norward front 2 could be lethal
7

ShropshireBluenago09 added 13:45 - Dec 9 Got to start Nors up front with Bonne. Midfield of; Morsy Carroll and El Miz Wing backs; Donacien and Penny 3centre backs; Burgess Edmunson and Wolf
6

jollyroger added 13:48 - Dec 9 That's good news a fit Nors is a first team regular in my eyes, give bonne a rest and play nors and piggott up top
11

Barty added 13:48 - Dec 9 Play Norwood and Bonne up front
8

TimmyH added 13:52 - Dec 9 Good! you won't see a lack of effort from him unlike some on Tuesday night.
15

NicRams added 14:09 - Dec 9 We are none of us perfect, let's go again and give him our support. I'm not condoning what's he's done in his private life but I'm pretty sure he's not overly pleased with himself. If he pulls the shirt on then let's get behind him.
14

Nobbysnuts added 14:11 - Dec 9 Play him end of. He's exactly what we are missing. Aggressive powerful centre forward.
16

algarvefan added 14:20 - Dec 9 Are some of you living in a dreamland, this is a guy who has been transfer listed for a good reason and will be replaced with hopefully better in the window. A player who lacks discipline, is often edging on the verge of dismissal and has a very questionable temperament. His lifestyle and fitness and therefore injuries are a problem and that's without his off field antics. Is this what we really want for the future? We can and will do better. I'd rather see one of the other u23 strikers come in for a chance.

-15

miltonsnephew added 14:21 - Dec 9 I think Gus Poyet and Mauricio Taricco For next manager and assistant
3

norfolkbluey added 14:22 - Dec 9 To be honest I wouldn't want him playing against me. He brings in that rough diamond element up front so long missing from the team. Every team needs a character like him with no fear. Defence could do with another like him. Looking back in the glory days sad though it is we have had the likes of Kuqi, Marshall, defensively Hunter and Beattie. So I say why not and it will give Wigan much to think about if he's picked.

14

Bazza8564 added 14:31 - Dec 9 This is great news and whatever the reasons are/were for his absence, we need options with our formation, he is different to Piggot and Bonne (IMO who are too similar to play together well) so I want to see him with either of those guys starting Saturday I also agree with Shropshire Blue and would play 3CB, wingbacks and 3 in midfield. We can always revert to 4231 in the future but it stopped working 5 weeks ago so we need the options. 432 or 352 is better, 442 less so with wingers because it strips the MF down to the defensive guys. As for the disciplinary side of Nors, well clean slates should always be an option so lets move on and get this valuable asset back in our side.

8

DifferentGravy added 14:34 - Dec 9 Yep as others mentioned.....off the field antics.....really hope hes learnt his lesson. On the pitch the only issue for me was injuries proneness..... because there is no doubting his hunger and goal scoring ability. On a hiding to nothing at Wigan, Id give Bonne a rest, hes done brilliantly and cares about Ipswich but is now suffering from a lack of supply and a dip in form.....which some fans have unfairly jumped all over. Play Norwood and Piggott up top and see how it goes.

4

Bazza8564 added 14:35 - Dec 9 DOH, 532 or 352, my maths sucks....
0

martin587 added 14:36 - Dec 9 I cannot understand why JP doesn't get a chance as he is a proven goal scorer.Just putting him on for twenty minutes does very little for his confidence.Give him a full Ninety minutes with a partner Ie two up front it's not rocket science.
5

stiggytrunk1955 added 14:44 - Dec 9 4 4 2 please john bonne and pigget
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rfretwell added 14:56 - Dec 9 Great news, well done to McGreal for this. We need as many big characters as we can get in this team. Players that call out colleagues for a bad pass, get the lads fired up, see that concentration levels are right up there every minute.
3

BlueMoolay added 14:59 - Dec 9 YES.!!! Get him straight in. He gives it all his got and is exciting to watch. 2 up front. Get him in quick before he trips over one of his dogs and injures himself. :-)
3

tractorboybig added 15:22 - Dec 9 so we have reached the bottom of the barrel.
-11

dirtydingusmagee added 15:52 - Dec 9 past caring who plays now to be honest , season has been fcuk'd ,and a good manager is now the only thing left this season .Lets hope at least that that goes well..
4

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