Ipswich v Barnsley: Blues boss Mick McCarthy has confirmed that recalled loan striker Paul Taylor will be in his squad for tomorrow night’s televised game against Barnsley at Portman Road.

McCarthy – who celebrates his one year anniversary at the Suffolk club tomorrow – recalled the 26-year-old from League One club Peterborough United yesterday after teen striker Jack Marriott rolled his ankle in training.

“I agreed with him when I let him go that I would bring him back after a month,” said McCarthy. “He wants to come back and play in the Championship, he wants to play here.

“He’s had plenty of games and plenty of minutes on the pitch (at Peterborough). We’ve had him watched every game. He’s got better and better, he’s looking fitter and sharper and, as we know, he can be a game breaker; one that gets something out of nothing. He’s in the squad for tomorrow.”

Taylor is likely to start the game on the bench, replacing Marriott among the substitutes.

“He’s rolled his ankle,” said McCarthy on the latter. “He wouldn’t have been in the squad anyway because Tayls is back.

“If we could get him (Marriott) out on loan I’d love to, it would be great for him.”

Meanwhile, McCarthy once again used sarcasm as a tool to bat away talk of the vacant Republic of Ireland job he has continually been linked with.

Repeating his quip from last week, he said: “I told you, it’s still in the same place, it’s west of Liverpool as far as I know. I gave you a schedule for flights last week. I could give you the same.

“(Reports) had me going there on Monday, I told you what I was (actually) doing. There’s nothing, no. You’re all bonkers (to keep asking me), by the way. You’re all bonkers, the lot of you!””

Later, when asked whether he was surprised not to have been approached about the role, he added: “How do you know I haven’t been approached about it?”

After the inevitable follow up question of ‘have you been approached?’ he replied: “I can’t tell you.”

The Blues boss had been favourite for the job, but has once again been overtaken in the book makers’ lists by the odds-on Martin O’Neill.

– See tomorrow’s EADT and Ipswich Star for full match preview.