Blues boss Kieran McKenna believes Sam Morsy will receive a fantastic reception before and after the game when he returns to Portman Road with Bristol City on Tuesday, but that the former skipper wouldn’t have it any other way than being given a tough time during the match itself.

The 34-year-old left the Blues in the summer after a highly successful four-year spell in which he led the club to back-to-back promotions as they climbed from League One to the Premier League.

In total, Morsy made 161 starts and four sub appearances for Town, scoring 11 goals, and was named the club’s Player of the Year in 2023/24.

The Egypt international accepted a lucrative two-year deal with Kuwait SC in July but that move lasted only three competitive games and was over by September.

After a spell training with hometown club Wolves, Morsy joined up with Bristol City for whom he signed when the January transfer window opened. Since then, he has made two starts and one sub appearance and has already impressed Robins fans.

When news of Morsy’s impending move to Ashton Gate broke in December, McKenna revealed that the two had spoken a few days earlier.

“I keep in touch with Sam, I’m not great at keeping in touch with people, but thankfully he’s a bit better than me, so I think I always will keep in touch with him,” McKenna said.

“I’m happy for him. Of course, we were sad to lose him and it didn’t work how he would have planned in the Middle East, but that’s life.

“He wanted to come back [to England] and he had the opportunity there, he thinks, to hopefully play regularly in the second half of the season and it was a move that he was looking forward to.

“Of course, we just wish him well, it will be good to see him on Tuesday night. He’ll get a fantastic reception, I’m sure, from everyone before the game and a fantastic reception after the game.

“And I think during the game, Samy wouldn’t have it any other way than a very tough reception and hopefully the crowd will make it tough for all the Bristol City players, including Samy.

“But certainly before and after the game, I’m sure he’ll get the fantastic recognition and reception that he deserves.”

McKenna admits he couldn’t have inherited a better captain from his predecessor Paul Cook, who had previously worked with Morsy at Chesterfield, where the Liverpudlian is now back as manager, and Wigan.

“No, I’m more than happy to say that,” the Blues boss continued. “I think for me in my first management job, he was a fantastic captain and we crossed paths at the right time in each other’s careers I would have thought, and there will always be a really good relationship.

“Always grateful for the time with him and I’m sure he’ll continue to play well for as long as he continues to play and I think he’s someone I’ll always keep in touch with.”

Asked whether there were any discussions about a return to Portman Road after Morsy left Kuwait SC, McKenna explained: “A lot of things would have had to have lined up for something like that and from the conversation with Samy it was really clear that his big priority was to play games.

“He really missed playing in the months that he wasn’t playing and he really wanted to go somewhere where he felt he had a fantastic chance to get into the first XI and play week in, week out.

“That was what he really missed and what he really wanted to do in the second half of the season.

“He got that offer from Bristol City early and it was something that he wanted to do, so it was just a case of wishing him well with that.”

Morsy still had a year left on his Town contract when he departed for Kuwait and Championship Derby County were understood to also have shown interest.

McKenna was asked whether there was any frustration that Morsy had been allowed to leave on a free for Kuwait in a gentlemen’s agreement when the club could have demanded a fee.

“No, no frustration,” McKenna continued. “It wasn’t anyone’s plan, you don’t know how life will turn out. Everything was in good faith for the right reasons and it’s ended up that way.

“No frustration from anyone at the club on that, just gratitude and well wishes for every game he plays this year, apart from Tuesday night.”

Photo: IMAGO/Every Second Media via Reuters Connect