IPSWICH Town midfielder Veliche Shumulikoski today vowed to win back the faith of manager Jim Magilton.

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town midfielder Veliche Shumulikoski today vowed to win back the faith of manager Jim Magilton.

The 27-year-old is currently the Blues most-capped player with over 50 Macedonian senior appearances to his name.

But he has not started a Coca-Championship game since the 1-0 victory at Derby County just prior to the appointment of John Gorman as assistant manager.

Town have only lost once in the league since then and Shumulikoski has found himself sitting in the stands.

He started against Chesterfield in the FA Cup and came on as a substitute in the 1-1 home draw against Blackpool, but otherwise it has been a frustrating time for the midfielder signed in January last year.

Although he admits to being frustrated he is happy to wait for his chance to come. And when it does he is determined to take it.

Shumulikoski scored a cracking goal for the reserves in a 2-0 victory against Watford on Monday, and he said: “It was important to play a game.

“I think I showed a good attitude. It would be easy to not be at 100 per cent but I wanted to show that I am ready to play.

“I have spoken to the manager and he says that I must be professional and wait my chance.

“I must keep doing what I am doing, and take my opportunity when it comes because in football, it will happen.

“It's frustrating not being in the team.

“I train all week but there is no game at the end for me at the moment but that is football.

“I have to keep training hard and be professional and wait for my chance and when it comes, I have to make sure I take it.”

Shumulikoski, who joined Town from Turkish League Bursaspor and has also played in the Russian League, is not used to be being on the sidelines.

But with Tommy Miller playing consistently well and Alan Quinn having a new lease of life since Gorman's arrival, he has been missing out. Owen Garvan is another rival for a central midfield role.

“It's the longest time I've been out of the first team in my career,” added the man who is a certainty for Macedonian's squad for next month's next round of world cup qualifying games.

“Nine games is a long while, and it's hard.

“But it's football, it is life. There is a lot of competition for places at Ipswich Town and I have to prepare properly and wait.”

Town players trained yesterday but most will have a day off today with a hectic schedule of games including midweek matches for the next three weeks starting with a home fixture against Southampton next Tuesday.

The Blues visit Preston on Saturday looking to build on their pulsating 3-1 success at Queens Park Rangers last weekend.

- IPSWICH have re-arranged their home Combination game against Luton Town for Wednesday March 4 at Playford Road with a 2pm kick-off.