Teddy Bishop has been ruled out of Saturday’s game at Championship league-leaders Watford, while Jonathan Parr is a doubt and David McGoldrick remains sidelined.

Asked if any of his players who have missed the last few matches – McGoldrick (thigh), Luke Hyam (knee), Darren Ambrose (hamstring) and Dean Gerken (knocked unconscious at Middlesbrough) – were close to returning to action, Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy said: “No is the answer to that, not at all. In fact we’ve got possibly two more missing. Jonny Parr got a kick and he hasn’t trained today, so he’s a doubt.

“And Teddy Bishop won’t play as he’s got sore shins, sort of the onset of shin splints, which is the last thing we want. The pitches have gone from really heavy to being quite firm.

“He came off (in Tuesday night’s 1-0 home win over Bolton), he got a kick on them as well and he won’t be involved on Saturday.

“He will be a top player Bish, I don’t doubt that, but we’ve got to be careful with him. The last thing I need is for him to be suffering with shin splints and missing the rest of the season because if that does become worse that’s what could happen. But we’re not going to let it happen.”

McCarthy says no decision has yet been made on whether Bishop will be left out of the England Under-19 squad, the 18-year-old having received his first international call-up earlier in the week.

“I don’t know,” he added. “I’m going to speak to (head coach) Sean O’Driscoll first. To be called up for England at any level should be an honour, certainly. It’s sad if he can’t go but I’ve got to give them the medical report first.”

Meanwhile, McCarthy hopes Hyam, McGoldrick and Ambrose could return after the international break in time for the Good Friday visit of Bournemouth.

“I hope so,” he said. “Luke was out training today. They had to go and introduce me to him because I haven’t seen him for so long!

“He had a smile on his face, he was out on the grass, out in the fresh air and out of the gym. I think he’s far more optimistic.

“Didz, I just don’t know. He’s not been troubled by it too much but he is being troubled by it enough so he can’t train.”

“Darren Ambrose must be ruing the fact that he trained that day and he pulled up with his hamstring. That’s been really long-term injury.”

McGoldrick won’t go away with the Republic of Ireland next week, having initially been named in Martin O’Neill’s provisional squad.

“He’s not fit, I haven’t got him down on my desk as being in the preliminary squad because they know he’s injured,” said McCarthy.

Keeper Gerken will again be left out at the weekend having been knocked unconscious during the 4-1 defeat at Boro.

“He’s not involved because we’ve got one game and then we’ve got two weeks before the next one so what’s the point of taking any risk?,” said McCarthy. “Not a chance. He’s fine, but I’m not going to risk him.”

The Blues boss added that there are currently no loan additions on the horizon ahead of next Thursday’s deadline.