HE hopes it will be a match made in heaven.

New boy Aaron Mclean admits he may not be the most technically gifted striker, but he believes his hard work ethic – both on and off the pitch – will fit perfectly with manager Mick McCarthy’s ideals at Ipswich Town.

The 29-year-old, who has joined the Blues on loan from Championship promotion-chasers Hull City until the end of the season, said: “That was one of the main reasons why I wanted to come here because I know what the manager expects. He knows that every game I go into I look to give everything.

“Different players bring different things to the table. I’ve played with so many players who are technically much better than myself, but because they weren’t prepared to put the hard work in they’re not playing at the same level as myself.

“Everything that I’ve got I’ve had to work hard for and I’ll continue to do that until the day I hang up my boots. Throughout my whole career I’ve had to prove people wrong.”

He added: “Mick’s been unbelievable with me. He tried to sign me at Wolves years ago and that fills me with confidence.

“He’s so honest. He tells you what he expects from you and if you don’t deliver he’ll let you know. Some people tell you one thing and do another, but you can’t help but have respect for Mick.”

Mclean has a further year left on his contract at Hull, but he admits Ipswich are definitely a club that he would like to join on a permanent basis.

Having seen his career stall somewhat at the KC Stadium, the man who played at several non-league clubs before getting his big break at Peterborough United believes Town assistant boss Terry Connor – a former striker himself – will get the best out of him again at Portman Road.

“Terry has been unbelievable,” enthused the front man, whose primary competition for a starting place comes from David McGoldrick, Frank Nouble, Daryl Murphy and Michael Chopra.

“From the start of his sessions to the end, you get exactly what he wants you to get out of it.

“For example, the other day we did a session and for the first minute he said ‘we’re just going to do one-touch’. We did the minute and then he said ‘why do I want you to do one-touch? Because I want you to be making angles’.

“The standard of the session went up by a million per cent after that. Something as little as that will get so much more out of the boys.

“He knows how to make the sessions enjoyable. There’s nothing worse than going for a shooting session and you lose concentration because it’s not enjoyable. He’s got a way of making sure you stay concentrated throughout the whole session.

“His drills in training have been different gear.

“He talks to everyone with respect and treats them like adults whereas some managers will talk to you as if you are 10-year-old kids.

“The way he carries himself on the training pitch and off it has been top class.”