We Are Terriers

We Are Terriers
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Huddersfield Town opinion, analysis and occasionally even insight from Steven Chicken and David Hartrick www.weareterriers.com

  1. 16h ago

    Huddersfield Town press conference: Martin Drury and Derensili Sanches Fernandes ahead of Bromley trip

    Here are some of the edited highlights from the press conference — you can find the full audio above or in the We Are Terriers podcast feed. Martin Drury First, expectations from Bromley. Everybody will be thinking, “Come on, three points, Town, smash them. They’ve had seven put past them, they’ve had five put past them.” How do you manage that expectation? I’ve not really thought about the expectation of the game, to be honest. I’ve just looked at what we did well last week, what things we didn’t do so well, what we can get better at, continue building the game model that we have, continue building the culture that we have, and embrace the next challenge. Bromley is the next challenge on the list. So every challenge we’ve had so far, I just spoke to the players this morning, I feel like every time either I’ve challenged them or we’ve had a challenge, they’ve stepped up to it and raised their game to it. So we’re in a really good place, and we’re very much looking forward to the game on Saturday. With Bromley obviously struggling, new to the league and what have you, do you have to speak to the players a little bit about being wary? I’m not saying being complacent, but being wary that there could be a surprise there. Bromley are finding their feet, etc. No, I don’t feel that I need to mention complacency because we’re not focused solely on the opponent. We’re focused on what we’re doing and what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to build. Of course, we have to be mindful of Bromley because they do have some threats and they still have plenty of things that can hurt us if we’re not absolutely on the money on Saturday. So definitely wouldn’t disrespect them in any way and feel like the game is any easier than any other game. I watched the game last week that they played against Blackpool. They were very good. Blackpool found it very tough, and they’re in fine form, Blackpool, so it was a good result away at Blackpool. They showed that they’re really competitive. You look at the way that they score goals and have scored goals last season and this season, and they’re very consistent in terms of set plays, transitions, crosses into the box – all things that in League One you’re going to have to look good at. So Bromley do that really, really well, and we’re under no illusions. It’ll still be a challenge away from home, but of course we go into the game with confidence and we’d like to think that we can go and impose ourselves on them and create a tough afternoon for them as well. What about the squad situation, Martin? No, we lose Ryan now for probably about four to six weeks. So he has an issue with the ligaments in his elbow. Positive that he doesn’t need surgery. That was a real positive. He has a tear in his tricep as well, so he’s got a couple of issues from quite a heavy fall in the game, which is disappointing for both him and us as a group because he’s been a real leader for us and his performances have been really good. So disappointed to lose Ryan. He’ll be frustrated. He is frustrated. But look, it presents an opportunity for other people to step up. We’ll look after Ryan and make sure he comes back physically and mentally in a good place, and we look forward to his return. But until then, people have got an opportunity now to step up and play games that they’ve been planning to do, so I look forward to that. Where are you at with Kasumu and Whatmough at the moment? So Jack Whatmough’s trained Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday this week, so he’ll be available for selection to an extent. Sean Roughan’s the same, trained Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday this week. Again, available for selection to an extent this weekend. Samson Tovide, the same. Trained Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday this week, available this weekend. Kasumu is not quite there yet, so we’re still nursing that injury with him. He won’t be available this week, but the other three are in contention for some minutes. Let’s ask about Joe Taylor. Obviously, he’s had a really good start to the season, but as we understand it, there were a few signs of him getting frustrated with himself last time out. How do you manage that, Martin, with him? Does he need an arm around him? What do you do to try and get the best out of him? Because you clearly have for a large part of the season already. Do you know, with Joe, I think even when Joe’s scoring and firing, he still gets frustrated at things because that’s his character and that’s who he is. For me to try and take that out of him, it’s going to take a long period of time, and I’d rather not focus on trying to take that out of him. I’d rather focus on him scoring goals and making sure that he’s still doing all the brilliant things that he’s doing. I have no issue with players being frustrated in certain moments as long as they’re doing the work, as long as they’re still running. So if they’re looking on but they’re sprinting after the ball when they lose it, or if they miss a chance but they’re making the next movement in behind and they’re going to try and score again, no problem. Some of the best players in the world do that. But of course, you have to be mindful of it, that if you’re doing it that much it can impact the performance. Joe’s aware of that. Joe knows my feelings on that. But yeah, we work together on that. He’s still doing all the good things that we want him to be doing, and he’s still a constant threat and a nuisance for any team that we’re playing. So as long as he’s doing that, then we can bypass a couple of details. Yeah, you are getting the best out of him. What was the conversation like bringing him back in after last season? What did you say to him over the summer? There weren’t big conversations. There weren’t big conversations. We create the culture, we set the values, we set the standards, we set the expectations of what it looks like every day in training, and players that want to do that will be part of it, and players that don’t, won’t. Joe’s shown that he does. He’s running through a brick wall every single week in training, every single week in games, and we know that he’s got an eye for goal and we know that he’s very, very difficult for teams to play against. I’ve had people tell me in the past he can be a bit difficult because, as you say, he gets frustrated at certain things. I just don’t see that. I don’t see that. He’s very black and white. Wants to enjoy football. Wants to have a laugh. Wants to enjoy what he’s doing, and he does. When he’s doing that, he looks a real talent and a real threat. So yeah, we have to manage that. But I’d like to think that Joe understands the standards and the culture that we’re building and that we’ve built so far, and he’s very much living within that. I think he’s thriving within that. So while ever we’re enjoying Joe and he’s enjoying us, I’m sure the performances will be there. Derensili Sanches Fernandes You have to tell us about this mask thing. What’s this all about? Because we’ve not had the official version from you. Yeah, I just had a golden boot, and then one guy, Noah Naujoks, because I kept scoring with that boot, he said, “Oh, Golden Boy, Golden Boy.” Then we had a promotion game, then I got a golden mask, and that’s how it started. That’s how it started. So every time you score now, are we going to see this? No, because the EFL is going to charge me! There’s no fun anymore, is there? Can I also ask, on an international level as well, obviously Cape Verde became really well known this summer because of the World Cup. What’s your situation there? Is that who you would like to be involved with internationally going forward? Yeah, of course. I think the first time they called me up was last year. It was a miscommunication between me and them. And yeah, I hope this year it’s going to come again someday. And can you describe how that whole World Cup experience has affected them, and Cape Verde as well? Yeah, I do think the World Cup put them in the light where they belong. They have good footballers, good players, but most of all good people and a good team. That’s what got them far in the tournament. We’ve seen that relationship you have with Ilias on the right wing has been very productive. And Radinio as well as a Dutchman. Is it helpful to have players who you can communicate with and you have that relationship with playing down your side? Yeah, of course. Ilias and I don’t even really need to speak, we just do the same things like we did in the Eredivisie. And yeah, now my English is getting better. At the beginning it was worse, so you have to get the feeling, you know, to play with each other. But it’s getting better. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.weareterriers.com/subscribe

  2. 3d ago

    Huddersfield Town over-complicate 10-man test at Mansfield Town but remain unbeaten

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.weareterriers.com In this week’s We Are Terriers podcast, we discuss Huddersfield Town’s midweek EFL Trophy victory away at Doncaster Rovers and analyse Saturday’s goalless draw with a Mansfield Town team who played a half with 10 players. If you’re already subscribed, you can give a gift subscription to a friend, family member, enemy, pet with an email address…whatever y…

  3. 5d ago

    Huddersfield Town press conference: Martin Drury on manager of the month, Mansfield preview

    Here are some of the edited highlights from the press conference — you can find the full audio above or in your podcast feed. Martin Drury Martin, congratulations on the Manager of the Month award. You said in the club announcement today that you very much see it as a team accolade, but just how nice is it to have that recognition from some of your footballing peers? Of course, it’s lovely. It’s lovely, and I’m very grateful to the judges of it and to receive the award. As you rightly say, it’s a real representation of the bigger picture, of everybody involved at the training ground, at the stadium. Whether that be the security guard on the gate in the morning when you’re driving in and how they make a player feel, or the chef when he’s serving the food, how they make a player feel, and the interactions and all those different cogs that make a football club work. I think it’s a lovely award for me to accept on behalf of everybody and the collective effort, right from the owner all the way through the football club. And as I link the two this week, I think the biggest thank you has to go to the players. It’s the players that are running around when the whistle blows, and they’re the ones that are going to war every week and running and fighting and showing spirit. So that’s very much for them as well. But I’ll accept it on behalf of everyone, and it’s a lovely, lovely moment for us. Should Joe [Taylor] have been the Player of the Month? Well, I would have given it Joe, and Joe would have given it Joe! But no, I think he’s been brilliant and he should have been heavily considered for that. He’s been outstanding, both in his goals and his contributions in games, not just from a statistical point of view, but the way he’s running, his output in games for the team has been exceptional. So yeah, if you’re asking me, then I would give it Joe for sure. On to Mansfield then. Going into tomorrow’s game, how useful an exercise was Tuesday night in the EFL Trophy to consider going into tomorrow’s match? Yeah, really valuable. I’m a big advocate for the tournament and all types of tournaments. I think it gives every club a platform to use it for whatever they need, and I felt we did that on Tuesday, making 10 changes. Players that are training so hard right now deserve to be playing football, and I’m the bad guy most weeks when I tell them they’re not able to play and they’re not ahead of other people. So I thought they all acquitted themselves really, really well on Tuesday night, did themselves no harm whatsoever and, of course, that makes my job even harder selecting a team and selecting a squad. So full credit to the players. As I said after the game, they can’t get through that 90 minutes on Tuesday night against a really strong Doncaster team unless their daily work, how they’re going about it every single day, the attitude and application that they’re showing and the levels that they’re showing every day are absolutely at the top of their capability. So they’ve been brilliant, and they deserve to play football. It was a tough experience the last time Huddersfield Town faced Mansfield Town at the Accu at the end of last season. How far do you feel the squad, the club, has come in a relatively short space of time? Does it feel almost like a different lifetime in some ways? Well, tomorrow will be the test of that for sure. I feel there is a togetherness about the club, about the group, about the way that we train, the way that we work every day. I still think we’re very much at the start of the journey. I think we’ve achieved nothing so far. We’ve had a relatively positive start, and I really like the feel around the place. I love the players. I love how they’re going about things every day. Tomorrow will be a real test for us. It is one that we look forward to. Of course, that was a really difficult day at the back end of the season. That’s eaten me alive for the last five months, I’ll be honest. It was a really tough day. So we’re cautious because we know the challenge ahead of us tomorrow, but we’re also excited to embrace it. You talk a lot about the culture within the squad now and reacting to adversity, reacting to setbacks, which was something that maybe at times was a bit of a problem last season. Do you feel you’re seeing signs that they’re overcoming that now? If you concede a goal, if something happens, are they mentally in a better position to be able to deal with that now? I felt that way, and then I wanted to see if there were some stats that could evidence that and back that up. We had a look yesterday, and I presented to the players that at the back end of last season, around the last 15 minutes of games – or beyond 75 minutes of games, should I say – where we would sit in a league table, we were rock bottom. We’re currently top, or joint-top as far as I’m aware. So that would give me confidence to feel that we have made developments in that area. And as you rightly say, the mentality of the group, I feel, is in a different place. I love that we’re able to suffer together. I love how the players are responding to setbacks within games. I love the relentless nature that they’re showing every day in training when they’re being pushed and they’re under fatigue and they’re tired. I feel that’s then demonstrated when they go to the games, and that can only happen if you make it habitual for how you train every day. So we’ll continue to do that, and hopefully the players will keep growing. I think the big thing is they believe in each other. I can see that they believe in each other, and that’s really important in football. So we continue as we have been doing, but now’s the time to put the foot down again and we push hard. You drive incredibly high standards, rightly so. With that in mind, there haven’t been that many clean sheets so far this season. Is that something that’s weighing on your mind at all, or does it not really matter as long as the team are winning? The moments that have stopped us keeping clean sheets weigh on my mind for sure, and that’s the way that we need to work and address those things. We’ve had one. I feel Matty’s been really good in goal, and I feel the back lads have defended impeccably well in a lot of games when we have suffered in certain games and had to defend. They’ve been brilliant. So I definitely feel stronger. We’re definitely stronger. But you’re rightly saying we want more clean sheets than we have got. That’s going to be important if we want to be successful. So it’s certainly something that we’re mindful of. It’s not weighing us down in any way, but it definitely directs how we work every day, and the players are also owning that as well. You can see by their attitude and application that they want to get better in certain things. So tomorrow will be a big test of that, particularly in both boxes and second-phase situations, which Mansfield are very, very strong in. It’s something that we’ll have to pay real attention to tomorrow. Team-wise, how are you looking for tomorrow? Well, as we were last week. No change. We’ve had players back on-pitch training today. Jack Whatmough has been involved today. Obviously, Lynden Gooch played on Tuesday, which was great to get him back from being injured. Sean Roughan is involved in training today. Samson [Tovide]’s been closer the last two days, so we’ve got a number of players that are edging really close to returning, but not quite making tomorrow. So, as I say, they’re edging closer, but we’ll be mindful of making sure that they’re right before they come back in — but I’d like to think in seven days’ time we’ll have a few more back. Cameron Humphreys Cameron, you’re back at the club for a second time. How has it been settling back in? Yeah, yeah, really well. Obviously, it’s nice knowing a lot of familiar faces around the club. So yeah, it’s been a real smooth transition back in. Lovely to be able to see the game last Tuesday night and, yeah, it’s been nice to be back. Does it feel any different this time so far? I think there’s definitely a good feeling around the club. I think there’s a lot of positivity. Obviously, a few changes to the squad, so yeah, nice to get to know a few new faces. But yeah, on the whole, really, really glad to be back, and there does seem a good feeling around the club. What kind of inspired your decision to want to come and have this loan spell? Because you did really well in pre-season with Ipswich and were getting glowing reviews for your performances, so why make the move to come back here? Yeah, I really enjoyed my pre-season with Ipswich. I was able to get good minutes and really enjoyed playing and being part of that squad. But more regular minutes is something that I wanted and something I feel I need at this stage of my career. Obviously, working with the manager and some of the coaching staff here last year, I really enjoyed that, so that was definitely a big part of it. I’d been in contact with both him and Chris little bits throughout the summer, and they were definitely big in me coming back, as well as knowing the quality that we have in the squad, seeing the additions that they’ve made, so knowing that we could be really competitive this year. Was there a little bit of you that thought, “Should I maybe stick around at Ipswich and try and fight for my place here?” Yeah, I think so. Again, I’d done okay in pre-season and was happy competing and seeing what could happen there, but I think to make the decision to get more consistent minutes was one that me and the club came to. So yeah, I’m just glad to be here and almost focusing on that, playing as many games as I can and trying to help the team win. Obviously, a lot of reasons to come back here. Was there any interest from Championship clubs as well, looking at

  4. Sep 8

    Huddersfield Town squad review as unbeaten run goes on

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.weareterriers.com It’s a big old week on the We Are Terriers podcast. We’ve got five transfers to talk about, a summer window review, plus two games to talk about after Town’s 3-1 win over Oxford and their 1-1 draw with Notts County. If you’re already subscribed, you can give a gift subscription to a friend, family member, enemy, pet with an email address…whatever you fanc…

  5. Sep 7

    Martin Drury and Jay Sway preview Doncaster Rovers trip as EFL Trophy set to begin

    Here are some of the edited highlights from the press conference — you can find the full audio above or in your podcast feed. Martin Drury Can we start with the team news? You mentioned that David Kasumu had picked up a bit of a groin injury in your post-match after the Notts County game. What’s the situation with him, please? Yeah, he felt his groin in the warm-up, and we hoped it would be nothing, but it looks to be a little bit more than we first thought. So it won’t be a long one, but probably a little bit longer than we first anticipated. We’ll look after David and get him back as soon as we can. Ethan Brierley obviously came back into the matchday squad in his place. What’s happening with him at the moment? Are you pleased with his development? Yeah, Ethan’s showing loads day to day. He’s showing loads of the things that we want from players in that position, and as a human being he’s showing loads of the qualities that we want, which is why we brought him to the club. As I said before with Ethan, he’s a young player, but he’s got loads of experience at this level, having played a lot of minutes last season, which is again why we were so drawn to him in the summer and why we signed him on a three-year contract. We see him as someone who hopefully we can provide an environment for that he can develop in, and we’ve no doubt that he’s only going to get better and better with us. So he’s pushing, like everybody else, to be in the squad and be in the starting line-up every week. Whilst it looks like he’s not close to it, he is much closer than it might appear. He trains impeccably well. The way he conducts himself around the place every day has been exceptional. So, yeah, Ethan’s one we’re still working with and is still going to play a big part for us this season. And would you say that’s mirrored a little bit by Jay Sway, who came on again at the weekend? Would you say it’s a similar path for him? Yeah, definitely. Obviously, Jay’s someone the club has known for a little bit longer than Ethan, having been in the building for the last few years, so I think we know a bit more about him. He obviously plays in a slightly different position to Ethan and has different attributes, but definitely is another young player who we feel has high potential. Look, we want to build a club that is long-term thinking as well as short-term, and these players are going to play a big part for us. They’ve got great attitudes. They’ve had a really good upbringing in terms of the academy football and then first-team football that they’ve both played. They’re two of a number of players in the group that we’re excited to continue working with. And you’ve got this EFL Trophy tie coming up tomorrow night, Martin. Is there a chance that Archie Collins gets more minutes? Yeah, definitely. Archie will be involved tomorrow, as will the two players that you mentioned previously there in Jay and Ethan. Look, there are a lot of players that I’ve had to disappoint over the last few weeks and tell them that they’re not starting games for us and haven’t played the minutes that they want to play and that they deserve to play because of how they’re going about it every single day. So it’s a good chance for us to continue building on our identity and how we want to look and how we want to play. But it’s also good for a couple of players to get those much-needed minutes, and the minutes that they deserve, in their legs tomorrow evening in what promises to be a real tough game. It’s a funny one then, because you talk about how the culture is really good there. You’re unbeaten at the beginning of the season. There must be part of you that thinks, “Ah, I don’t want to change too much.” Of course. We want to be consistent in terms of our identity and what we look like, what our behaviours look like on the pitch, both with and without the ball and everything in between. So we want to stay consistent with that. We’ve built an environment and a culture right now where, because we’re doing that every day, it doesn’t really matter which players we start the game with. We’re confident that will be evident when you watch us play. I’ve no doubts that any player who plays tomorrow night will continue doing that. So we’re looking forward to it. The players are looking forward to it, and we understand the game will be a real tough game. We’ve got a lot of respect for Doncaster, but it’s one we’re looking forward to embracing. Jay Sway I’ve been watching you in the academy for a good while now and seeing you develop from right-back to then moving to other positions. Your versatility has really been a major asset for you over the past few years, hasn’t it? Do you feel like that is something that comes naturally to you, or is that something you have to work on as a young player? I think personally it just comes naturally. My understanding for the game – obviously it’s tough going in and out of positions, but I think overall it’s going to make you a better player. So wherever I play, I just, like I said, maximise out and do the best I can, to be honest. Do you feel like it’s partly to do with your skill set? You’ve got a set of abilities that does translate well to a number of different positions, doesn’t it? Yeah, yeah. I think obviously my ability can get transferred into different positions, like you said, which is a positive thing. I think being versatile, you’re going to need it in the modern game, so it’s a positive thing. So when you come into this summer under Martin, do you sort of come into that kind of situation thinking, “This is another chance to impress, and if I do well this time then there really is a chance that you can get first-team football this season,” as you are doing now? Of course. Obviously, the gaffer’s come in. I just see it as another pair of eyes to impress, with all the other coaching staff as well. So yeah, it’s a new opportunity and I’ve just got to make sure I’m ready to take that. And it’s a really good academy group that you’re part of now, isn’t it? We’ve seen obviously George [Sebine] has now gone out to Rotherham, but there are other players in that group as well, like Max Murray, who’ve been involved in the team. Dan Vost as well. There are others coming through as well, aren’t there? That must be quite exciting to see, to be one of that group who potentially could make an impact on the first team over the next few months and years. Yeah, no, of course. I think the academy is in a really good place right now. Obviously, there are a lot of academy products coming through, which is great to see, and I’m sure they’ll be amazing. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.weareterriers.com/subscribe

  6. Sep 3

    Huddersfield Town press conference: Martin Drury and Joe Taylor ahead of Notts County

    Here are some of the edited highlights from the press conference — you can find the full audio above or in your podcast feed. Martin Drury Let’s reflect on the transfer window first of all. Overall, how happy are you with the business that has been done? Relatively pleased. I think we have added some players to the group who have qualities that were missing last season, so I feel some areas have been addressed in a really, really positive way. On the whole, with the group, I am pleased, and I think we are equipped enough to keep building on the positive start we have had, and hopefully we can develop how we play and keep developing our performances. Did you get pretty much all the targets you earmarked? Is a man ever happy? I don’t think so. It would have been nice to get one or two more, but on the whole I think there have been some really great additions that we have brought in. The work that has gone on across the summer from the recruitment department, from Chris, from everybody, and then the support from Kevin and Dave, has been really, really good. Now it is for us to deliver, build connections between the players, and make sure over time that we are developing everything we are doing. One of those new arrivals on deadline day was Cameron Humphreys, who you talked about after the game on Tuesday night. You talked about his versatility and the fact he is a known quantity. In an ideal world, do you have a role for him in mind that you would like to see him in more often than not? Genuinely, no. I just think he is such a versatile player. The season will throw up all sorts of obstacles and challenges for us. Some people will be fit, some people will not be fit. Last season, Cameron played quite deep for us in a number of games, because of necessity, but also because we knew he had the quality to do that. He helped us. He really helped us build. But we know from his history, and from being on loan in the past in this league, that he has got an eye for goal and is capable of scoring goals. Cam enjoys scoring goals, as any player does, but Cam in particular likes scoring goals. He has got a really humble way about him. As long as he is on the pitch and playing his football, he will play anywhere for us. That is one of the main things, on top of all the other great things he has going for him, that drew us back to Cam. We really hoped we could get him in the building again. I think he will play in different positions for us, and I have absolutely no doubt that he will excel in whichever role he is asked to play because of who he is as a player and who he is as a person. There were a couple of players who were maybe expected to move on but ultimately have not. They have not really been in your squads up to this point. How do you deal with them now in terms of man management, and what do you expect from them in return? The expectation of those players not being here was only from outside the club. That was not my expectation. My interpretation is that we have got a group of players with quality. We have got really good players, and the nature of any successful organisation is that people accept there is competition for places. You have to compete and you have to deliver every single day. Players who are starting and players who are not starting are all in the exact same boat. It is not 10 or 11 players who are going to help us be successful this season. Everybody is going to play a part. But it will not be that people are waiting for their chance to play based on us being fair and sharing things out. It will be earned, and it will be earned every single day in how they conduct themselves around the place, how they train and how they work. Players will play who we trust and who we believe in. I have to say, I do not see anybody in the building who is not the right type of person that we want. They were all brought to the club for that reason. The fact everybody is here means there are some really good footballers we can choose from, and it is up to them to convince us and, once they are in the team, to deliver. What I do like is that there is a real togetherness about them, whether they are playing or not playing. I can see every single day there is a real connection between them. Everybody needs to feel they have got a chance to play and that they can earn the right to play, and they have. But that is every day in training. They have to do that every day in training, and they are fully aware of that. We are fully aware as staff how much we need to help and support them to be able to do that. So it has never been a case that you have taken somebody to one side and said, “Look, you are just not in my plans, you are not going to play, you may be better off looking elsewhere”? There is always that window of opportunity for people, even if they have not been featuring in the squads up to this point? There have definitely been conversations, but not in the same way you described it there. There have been conversations around people wanting to play football, but all the players want to play football, and I am pleased with that. I am glad they do. I would be worried if they did not. People are obviously coming and asking questions, but it is not done in a disrespectful way. Everyone is knocking on the door saying: “What do you need from me? What do you want me to do? What do I need to do to get in the team? When I do get my chance, is there anything you need to see from me specifically?” Everyone is fully aware of the things we feel they are really strong at, fully aware of the things we feel they need to get better at, and the plan for how we help them get better at those things. When the opportunity comes, they are able to grasp that and deliver. I have never sat with a player and said: “You will not play for me. You are not going to play for me. You are not in my plans.” But I have had conversations around it being difficult because there is competition for those places. Everyone is aware of the challenge. Nobody can turn around in a couple of months and say: “I did not expect this was going to be the case.” We want a competitive environment every single day. That drives culture, quality, delivery and the development of all the players in training, and that is what we will continue to do. Everyone knows they have got a fair chance if they deliver. Joe Taylor Just how much are you enjoying your football right now? I am honestly in a really good spot at the minute, and I think it is there for everyone to see. I have come back and hit the ground running, continuing from where I left off last season. Now it is all eyes on Saturday for me. What do you put that good start down to? I suspect there are quite a few different factors at play. There are definitely a few, but I could not really narrow it down to one. It is an accumulation of everything. The coaching staff, my teammates, everyone at the football club has been brilliant. Obviously I was away for the second half of last season, but they have fitted me back into the fold as if I had never left. The easiest part for me has been going out onto the pitch and doing what I know I can do. That relationship between yourself and the other forwards — Sanches Fernandes, Ashley Fletcher, Bojan Radulovic as well — just how effectively are all of you working together at the moment? It seems like the relationship between you all is clicking quickly. The proof is in the pudding, isn’t it? We are scoring a lot of goals, we are playing well together, and we are all chipping in. We are all very different from each other. Bojan and Fletch have similar styles, if you like. Then you have the pace and technical ability of Derens. Then there is me, who is the fortunate one at the minute putting the ball in the back of the net. As a unit, they are really enjoyable to work with. I have only good words to say about any of them, and I think we all bring different aspects to that front line. I really enjoy working with them. That relationship can surely only get stronger as the season progresses, can’t it? Absolutely. The more games we box off together, naturally, because there are quite a few of us, there is going to be rotation. But we are big believers in each other’s ability, so there is no bitterness there whatsoever. For example, Fletch started and did really well, then on Tuesday night against Oxford, Bojan came in, fitted straight in and scored. Whoever is playing, the others are still around us and still supporting us. We are in a very good spot. You mentioned the coaching staff as well. How are Martin Drury, Alan Knill and Jon Stead getting the best out of you? Essentially, they are giving me a platform every day in training, and more importantly, giving me a platform in games to go out there and really showcase what I can do. I know what I can do. I think I started showing last year what I was capable of. Now it is about going out there, trying to be free and trying to show that again. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.weareterriers.com/subscribe

  7. Aug 31

    Huddersfield Town beat Cambridge United thanks to remarkable late turnaround

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.weareterriers.com Huddersfield Town went a goal down inside the last 10 minutes against Cambridge United on Saturday but had the wherewithal to turn defeat into victory at the Abbey Stadium. Joe Taylor scored twice to leave the travelling Terriers in fine spirits before a big week in which Town will play twice in League One. This week’s episode of the We Are Terriers podca…

  8. Aug 26

    Huddersfield Town press conference: Martin Drury and Matty Young ahead of Cambridge trip

    Here are some of the edited highlights from the press conference — you can find the full audio above or in your podcast feed. Martin Drury Less than a week left of the transfer window. How busy do you expect these next few days to be? I think the back end of the transfer window always turns into chaos. What I do think is that the work that has already gone on, right from the owner to Chris [Markham] and everyone at the club, has put us in a position where we do not have to be too chaotic at the back end of the window. We have got some real clarity on what we would like to do at the back end, and if we can do that, then great. But nothing is easy at this stage. There are probably one or two that we would like to do, and we will see what happens in the next few days. What I would say is that if they do not get done, I am sat here already a happy man with what we have got. I think we have got a really good group, a really good core of men. If we can add to it, great. But if not, I am happy with what we have got, and I think we have got some real strengths this season. Is there a chance players could leave as well in this last chunk? Yeah, there is a possibility. We would not rule that out. I think naturally players are probably looking at this stage. I have had a couple of conversations this week around people who are keen to play minutes and keen to be on the pitch. As I have always said, I will be as honest as I can. If there is a little bit of movement, outgoings and incomings, then maybe there will be. But if not, I am not going to be too disappointed. On the back of MK Dons, have you come through that with any fresh concerns? No, no fresh concerns. We are in no different place to what we were seven days ago, so everyone is still the same. Those who were looking for the game are OK, and anyone who was out is still out. Those who are out — Jack Whatmough and Sean Roughan being two of them — what is the latest on their injuries and timescales? Sean is back on the grass running, so he won’t be too far away. But we will look after Sean and make sure he comes back in the best place he possibly can. That is positive. Jack, as I said at the weekend, picked up a [groin] issue last week in training. It is not too big an issue, not something we are majorly concerned about. I think he is only two or three weeks away from where we are right now, if we do it properly and safely. Hopefully he will be back in that timescale. Is Jack a bit of a unique case in how you have to manage him, given last season? Yeah, absolutely. He had some issues last season with injury. He was really unfortunate, and as I said in pre-season, it is not a case of just because it is a new season, you forget what happened last season. Just because he is back fit does not mean it has been plain sailing. This happens when people have had a long period out, come back, and then they get little niggles and little setbacks. The big thing is that it is not a big one, as I said before. We will continue to work with him, and hopefully when he comes back again he will be in a stronger place than he was, and hopefully kick on from there. Herbie Kane and Cam Ashia — how is their progress? Still very similar. Herbie is back on the grass running. Cam is the same, just not quite there yet. We will continue to build them both up, but they are not far off. Herbie is probably a little bit further ahead, but they are not too far away, so both have a chance to get back and play football, for sure. A few days on from MK Dons, how do you reflect on that game and that performance? I thought first half, we were outstanding. I watched the game back. In the game I thought we were good, and I watched it back and thought we were excellent. The things we wanted to try to do and impose on MK Dons, knowing how tough an opponent they are physically in particular, I thought we were excellent with. First half, I thought some of our football at times was really exciting. The chances we created, we attacked in a variety of ways. We created chances when we played back from the goalkeeper, we created chances on the counter-attack, and we created chances from quick play as well as controlled play. That is what we want. In possession, we do not want to be predictable. I thought first half we were excellent. As I said after the game, it was disappointing because, from what I have watched and what I felt in the game, we should have been three or four up at half-time. The game should have been put to bed. We should have been three or four up, and the game might have looked and felt different in the second half. We have to develop a more ruthless edge when we are in the ascendancy like we were. Second half, we were not as good as the first half. Again, I have watched it back, and I would have to disagree if people say the second half was poor. It was not. We still had eight shots in the second half. We had 10 in the first half and eight in the second half, so there is not much difference in how many shots and chances we created across the two halves. But we relinquished a little bit more control in the second half than we did in the first half. Against good teams, as games go on, in the second game of the season, you have to accept some of that. But at the same time, we want to maintain that dominance for longer periods, and I am sure we will do. There are certainly things we need to go after and get better at. Because we were so good first half, the second half felt like a real drop-off. I watched it back and it was not. There are things we need to do better, for sure, but I still believe there were some good things we did in the second half. Based on that, I do not imagine you put the result on this, but Joe Taylor’s ghost goal grabbed headlines and caused attention. Have you had any clarity from PGMOL or the EFL on that decision? Not yet, no. We do a report after the game, and obviously we challenge it and ask the question, but unfortunately it is a bit of a waste of time. It cannot change the result of the game at this point. What I would ask is that those types of things do not happen again — for us, for other teams — because it is not in line with the nature of the game. We score a goal, that is a goal. But because we are relying upon human beings, which is where we are at as a league, some things get missed. I cannot have a go because it will swing the other way at some point in the season, I am sure. At the same time, for us, the way the goal was created, it is not only the strike from Joe. It is a great strike and he has worked his socks off. I wanted Joe to get a second goal because I think he deserves to get more goals for the work he is doing. The way we played to get to that stage, if you look at the start of the attack, is exceptional, and that is credit to the players. Disappointed for Joe, disappointed for the group because of the play we had to create that chance, but at the same time, we have to get on with it. I know you have no choice but to move on, but how easy is that for you and the squad, given the nature of it and how tight football can be sometimes? It hurts. It is annoying. But it is going to happen the other way at some point in the season. We will go to the other end and we will get the rub of the green. It is not right to say that, but that is what happens in football. You cannot dwell on it. It is disappointing. We just have to make sure next time Joe gets it two or three inches further and the ball goes in. What have you made of Joe Taylor’s start to the season? Excellent. Excellent. It was something we did not have last season as a threat. His goal on Saturday, the way we worked the ball as a team to get to that stage — you can rely on patterns of play and team stuff all you want, but when you have someone with raw pace and instinct like Joe, sometimes that just takes over. You cannot put a price on that. Joe has been brilliant. He has been brilliant around the place. I feel like our relationship is in a good place. There has been absolutely no issue whatsoever. He has actually been a really positive influence on the group. We all know the attributes he has got. He has got special talent in his pace, and he is someone who is going to score goals. It is probably a bit of a cliche, but has he almost been like a new signing? He has for me, because I had never worked with him. When he came in the building, he was a new player for me. Everyone else had seen him, but I had not, Jon had not, and the staff had not. So for us, it was like a new signing. Hopefully we will continue that work together, and I do feel that with us he will get a hell of a lot of chances created for him because of the quality we have got around him, and he will score goals. On Ethan Brierley, he is a new face at the club and has not been involved yet. Is it a matter of building him up a little bit? Is it a young player coming to a new club and getting certain things into him before he is ready? With Ethan, we signed him based on a long-term vision, already knowing he is a capable player. He is not inexperienced at this level. He played a lot of minutes last season, so he knows the level. We felt we were getting two things in one there. He has already got experience, but he is also really young. He is an exciting prospect for us, and that is why he signed on a three-year contract. He is not someone I thought would come in straight away and blow everything away. He is one we felt could come in with real strengths and qualities already, and we will work with him. Some games will be right for Ethan, and some games will not be. That is the challenge we have as a group of staff: to pick the right players and the right squads for each game. What I would say about Ethan is that he is working hard every day. He is thirsty to learn, often coming in and watching clips back from training and from the game he played in midweek. He is in a good place. Of course, if you speak to him

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About

Huddersfield Town opinion, analysis and occasionally even insight from Steven Chicken and David Hartrick www.weareterriers.com

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  • Creator
    We Are Terriers
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    128
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Steven Chicken
  • Show Website
    We Are Terriers

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