Price prepared to bide his time

LEWIS Price is prepared to bide his time and learn off the master Kelvin Davis, even if it means travelling to places like Crewe knowing he is not going to get a game, writes Derek Davis.

Steady performances in recent friendlies have cemented the 19-year-old ahead of the frozen-out Andy Marshall and he insists he has no problem waiting on the bench for further promotion.

He said: "I'm just happy to be travelling to Crewe.

"It is not difficult at all. Kelvin is a better keeper than me and to be honest I'm just happy to be the No. 2 at the moment.

"I know I have to bide my time, push him all the time while learning from him because he is such a good keeper."

While Price will be out helping Davis warm-up, along with goalkeeping coach Malcolm Webster, he is well aware of the importance of games against the lower-rated sides in the division.

He said: "If we are going to go up then we have to win the scrappy points at places like Crewe. Portsmouth won the championship early on because they won at places like Grimsby and we have to get three points however tough the battle is."

But Price also feels the Premiership is a realistic reward for the Blues and added: "I'm confident that Ipswich will do well; we have a good enough squad to go up."

After playing for his adopted country at under-19 level, Bournemouth-born Price is now looking to push on into the Under 21 squad – and beyond.

He qualifies for Wales because his dad was born there, in a small village Lewis can not remember never mind pronounce.

He said: "There has been talk of me playing for the under-21s and I would like to as it is a different level.

"I have dual nationality and I looked at the possibility of playing for England, but look at the keepers they have got.

"England also have a lot of good young goalkeepers so it would be a lot harder, whereas Wales, as it is a smaller country anyway, don't have as many and I feel if I play for them and can progress I have more of a chance of paying for the senior side eventually."

But he will have no trouble getting behind Sven-Goran Eriksson's men at Portman Road on Wednesday.

He said: "I'm English so I have to support England and I will be at Portman Road cheering them on.

"I have always supported England and I never really thought too much about Wales until I realised through my Dad I could play for them.

"Since I have been involved I have supported them too and it is easy now, especially as they are doing so well."

Meanwhile, he travels to Crewe today happy to be playing second fiddle while continuing his goalkeeping education.