Ipswich Town star Kane Vincent-Young says he'd love to see his former boss John McGreal get a role on the Blues' coaching staff - and thanked the club's fans for helping him through his injury nightmare.
Exciting full-back Vincent-Young has played every minute of Town's last two games, a major plus for a man who's missed all but four matches this season, having suffered an Achilles injury in pre-season.
Now back on the pitch, there's been a familiar face to catch up with too - his ex-Colchester boss John McGreal has been at several training sessions under new manager Paul Cook.
And, with Cook on the look out for a number two - long-time assistant Leam Richardson having committed his future to Wigan this week - Vincent-Young would love to see McGreal at the club full-time.
"I have a great relationship with John," Vincent-Young said. "I've known him since he was 18, I played for him as Colchester U23s coach and then as I graduated to the first team he got the job.
"He's the manager that I learnt most of my game under, so it's been nice to see him and have a little catch-up when he's here.
"He's a club legend here and, having worked under him, he's a really good coach as well and he's a good guy.
"I don't know what's going on, I know just as much as you, but if he was to come in, he would certainly bring a lot here."
In his short Town career so far, Vincent-Young has certainly shown he can bring a lot to the Blues too, if he can just stay fit.
On top of this season's struggles, he suffered through an injury-blighted 2019/20 campaign as well, only playing nine games - electrifying fans with his displays - after signing from Colchester in August 2019.
It's been a long, and at times lonely, road back for the man fans call KVY.
He explained: "Pre-season I was thinking everything's good, played at Tottenham which was great.
"I felt my Achilles at the time but didn't think much of it and then here we are in March and I can play my first game of the season.
"It's one of those things that you never think is going to happen to you, until it happens to you.
"From that point of view it's a case of me not taking anything for granted, being able to play fit and finish games."
He added: "I'm very blessed to have good people around me. The club have been enormously supportive - the staff, the players, the fans, the media guys and of course my family at home.
"Injuries are very difficult things to deal with if you don't have the right support you can go the wrong way, but luckily I've always had the right people around me to carry me through.
"The fans have been wonderful. I do feel bad because social media, I'm on it, but I'm not really on it too much. But I do see all the messages and of course I'm massively appreciative.
"I'd like to say a massive thank you to them and hopefully we can end the season and try to put a smile on a few faces."
During his time out injured, Vincent-Young has been ringing Town season ticket holders who had to shield during the Covid lockdowns.
"You look at the state of the world right now, you can see how many people are struggling, with problems that are bigger than mine," he said.
"Of course I have my own issues, but I can only be grateful because I'm lucky enough to still be here, I know my problems are going to come to an end and I can get back on the pitch - but for other people it's going to take them a much longer time to recover."
Recover he has though, and now Vincent-Young is focused on ending the season strong, in Town's remaining four games, having proved he can play 90 minutes back to back.
"It's obviously a massive positive for me, considering everything that's happened, to get to this stage," he said.
"There's been a lot of false starts and setbacks, so to get back-to-back 90 minutes I was absolutely delighted.
"Mentally it shows me that I can do it and I'm looking forward to ending the season strong."
Did he consider delaying his return to action?
"Waiting for the next pre-season would have been too long to wait!" he laughed. "You've got the summer to wait for, I don't know how months it would have been, but it was already too long.
"As a player you always want to play at the first opportunity, and of course I wanted to get back on the pitch.
"We're still in kind of a transitional phase, we've got a new voice and new ideas that were trying to deliver on the pitch, and we're trying to do that.
"Of course we have to go to try and win - you have to try and win every game - so I think it's about trying to deliver a good performance in each and every match."
Vincent-Young could have delivered a goal in the 3-0 defeat at Northampton on Tuesday night, missing a sitter which would have brought Town back into it at 2-1.
"I've replayed it quite a lot to be fair," he admitted. "I know I should score it and if I score, it's probably a different game, but it's just a case of me continuing to get into those positions, not shying away and the next one putting it right.
"You have to be in there to score. You'd probably prefer Nors or Kayden to be there, but if I'm there next time I just need to make sure I do my job and we're talking about me scoring next time."
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