Boss Mick McCarthy says any thoughts of Tyrone Barnett joining the Blues longer term are on hold now that the on-loan Peterborough striker has suffered a posterior cruciate ligament injury, but says he was pleased with the 27-year-old during his time at the club. Barnett made two starts and one sub appearance for Town without scoring having joined on a 93-day spell midway though November.

McCarthy said: “He’s going to be three months, so I think we’d better wait and see whether he gets back fit. I was pleased with him.”

Although the former Crawley man has returned to his parent club, he still remains officially on loan with the Blues until January 19th

“It’s not cancelled, they go back, but it’s not cancelled, the loan is the loan," McCarthy said. “You can’t just cancel the loan.”

The Blues boss says he is disappointed for the striker: “He got what I thought was a decent move here, he’s done OK and he was progressing, and now he’s going to be out for three months, probably even longer.

“It’s really sad because whatever we think about it as a team and whatever Peterborough think about it, it’s him, it’s his career. It’s a shame for him.”

Barnett's injury is also a blow for Posh, who had hoped to cash in on their £1.2 million signing, having transfer-listed him after an early hours incident outside a nightclub.

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson said: “It’s a bad situation because Tyrone is out on loan for a reason.

"“We would have been happy to sell him and would probably have got good money for him. I spoke to Mick McCarthy on Tuesday and he was fairly happy with how Tyrone had been doing at Ipswich.

“It is obviously disappointing for everyone concerned - ourselves, Ipswich and Tyrone.

“Hopefully it won’t affect our ability to sign the players we have identified, but myself and the chairman will speak about that in the next few weeks.”

Barnett’s absence will see Bilel Mohsni come back into the travelling squad having been left out with the Blues currently having six domestic loan players with only five permitted in a matchday squad.

McCarthy says that although the Southend man may have a role to play as a striker at times, he views him as primarily a defender: “He’s someone who could certainly go on and be a handful, just to have on the pitch and flick things.

“I don’t really see him as a centre forward, I see him as a centre-half. But, as we all know, in the last knockings of games, balls get thrown in the box and you want someone to attack it and he’s good at that.

“He’s certainly got a goal in him. He scored at Tottenham [in the reserves 5-1 friendly victory] the other week with a great header from a corner.”

Jason Scotland also moves up the pecking order having been largely out of the matchday 18 since the change of boss.

McCarthy says the 33-year-old has taken his lack of involvement well: “He’s a great character. He’s had his nose pushed out of joint because there are people in front of him, but he’s continued to train and he wanted to play on Monday but I chose to give the lads who are first in line a game.

“Otherwise, if you don’t play a game, you lose your match fitness and sharpness. He’s been fine. He’s been good, Jason.”

Scotland is one of the 11 players whose deals are up at the end of the season but McCarthy says he is yet to speak to the Trinidadian about his future: “I’m reluctant to talk to any of them about [their contract situation] at the moment, we’re just trying to pick up points and those things will look after themselves.”

Photo: Action Images

SouperJim added 07:55 - Dec 14 Throw Billy in there Mick, he seems desperate to do well and I think he could be a Kuqi-esque effort player for us if given half a chance.
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