Ireland's Jack Taylor in action against Greece in Piraeus on Sunday. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Today at 13:41 Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has backed Ireland's new recruit Jack Taylor to build on his impressive debut in the green shirt and have a good career with club and country.

Taylor became the second debutant of the Heimir Hallgrimsson era when he came off the bench in the 2-0 loss to Greece in Athens on Sunday, where the 26-year-old made an impact despite the final score and will be pressing for more caps in the next international window, at home to Finland and away to England.

Ipswich have a strong Irish connection with Dara O'Shea, Chiedozie Ogbene and Sammie Szmodics in the set-up and Fermanagh native McKenna has praised Taylor for making such progress, not only for his ability but also the attitude shown by Taylor in a spell where he was not in the side.

"I think everyone in the building is buzzing for Jack to be called up to the Ireland squad," McKenna told the East Anglia Daily Times.

"When I first spoke to Jack a couple of years ago, his career goals were to play for Ireland and play in the Premier League. We are really, really happy that he has reached those milestones and now it will be about setting new milestones and pushing on from there.

"I think he has made a good impact. It is now five appearances he has made in the Premier League so far and I think he is a really good role model for the group at the moment."

Game time has been limited for Taylor, as all six appearances for Ipswich have come off the bench but McKenna says he had noted the player's attitude. "He didn't play in the Fulham game or against AFC Wimbledon in the cup as we were integrating some new players. It would have been easy at that stage to drop his head," he says.

"But his training over the few weeks after that was excellent. He worked in a really positive manner, got his opportunity coming off the bench against Southampton, did really well and took the game by the scruff of the neck. Again, he was a big positive coming off the bench against Aston Villa.

"He has shown good attitude and good qualities and taken some good steps in his career in terms of making his Premier League and international debut.

"We are happy he is here and we know he is going to keep working hard to have as strong a season as he can."