Jon Worthington lays out Huddersfield Town manager plans in weekly digest
Jon Worthington lays out Huddersfield Town manager plans in weekly digest
The caretaker boss had his say on what comes next after overseeing the side's 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend
Ins and outs
Huddersfield Town operations director Ann Hough has departed the club after 30 years of dedicated service. Hough arrived at Leeds Road in 1993, rising through the ranks to become club secretary before taking on her most recent role upon election to the board in 2007.
The club have credited Hough with playing a key role in the club’s move to a new stadium and helping them through the dark days of administration in 2003. We would like to join the club in wishing Ann all the best.
18 year old centre-forward Zak Abbott has joined the club's B team on an 18 month contract. The son of former Town striker Pawel, Abbott scored on his academy debut on Saturday morning to help the under-19s claim a 2-1 win over Doncaster Rovers' youth team.
Kyle Hudlin has joined League One strugglers Burton Albion on loan, with the centre-forward making his Brewers debut in their 0-1 defeat to ten-man Lincoln City.
Midfielder Scott High has departed on loan again after his recall from the Scottish Highlands, this time joining Irish top flight side Dundalk.
The midfielder was unlikely to get minutes for the first team but was left with limited loan options having played for both Town and Ross County this season (we know, we were as surprised as you, but he appeared in the League Cup against Middlesbrough back in August). That rendered him ineligible to play for a third club operating a winter season this campaign; the League of Ireland runs on a summer schedule.
B team centre-back Mustapha Olagunju was a deadline day departure, joining League Two Crawley on loan for the rest of the season.
What’s been said
“I think it’s that (playing it by ear). I’ve spoken to Mark [Cartwright, sporting director] and Jake [Edwards, chief executive] a lot this week, and ultimately was asked to take this game. That’s what I’ve done, and ultimately I’m sure we’ll pick up a conversation after the weekend about what it looks like in the next few days.”
— Jon Worthington, at his post-match press conference, when asked whether his caretaker role may extend into next week’s trip to Southampton
“It’s definitely not easy being a manager and playing well and winning games and getting the right signings. That’s why I’m quite happy to step back into my academy role once that time comes!”
— Jon Worthington, at his post-match press conference, playing down any suggestion he may be interested in the manager’s job more permanently
“Different managers have different ideas and I think me as a person, regardless of who the manager is, I want to win the game. So going into games, maybe if it’s not set up how you personally think it should be, then obviously it’s hard to adjust.”
— Matty Pearson, at Town’s pre-match press conference, when asked if Town were too conservative under Darren Moore
Coming up next
Ah, yes, that's what Town need next: an away trip to a side sitting second in the table and unbeaten in their past 23 games in all competitions, going all the way back to 23rd September.
Russell Martin's Southampton have been notable not just for the consistency of their results, but for the standard of their performances. They have scored 19 goals in their past five home games, conceding just once - highly impressive even if that does include an FA Cup cruise past League Two Walsall.
Forward Adam Armstrong has been one of the Championship's brightest stars this season, racking up 15 goals and 11 assists, making him the division's top assist-maker and one goal off being the division's top scorer too.
In short, whoever is in the Town dugout, be that Jon Worthington on a caretaker basis again or a new permanent appointment...they're going to have a tough game to prepare for.
Huddersfield Town injuries and absences
Jack Rudoni and David Kasumu both missed out against Sheffield Wednesday after falling ill overnight but are both hoped to be available to face Southampton.
Both Rhys Healey and Bojan Radulovic were forced off injured during the game with groin and head injuries respectively. Jon Worthington was not able to offer a prognosis on either player's prospects at his post-match press conference.
Michal Helik was also sidelined after being forced off with a 'hefty knock' against QPR last weekend, but his injury is not thought to be serious.
Pat Jones was an unused substitute on Saturday after a long spell out with a hamstring injury. He had last appeared in a matchday squad for the trip to Birmingham in October.
Yuta Nakayama is set to return from international duty after Japan suffered an injury time defeat to Iran in Saturday's Asian Cup quarter-final. We aren't entirely sure at the time of writing when the defender is set to report back to the Good Ol' Millers Oils to resume club duties.
Danny Ward has been captured on camera doing individual training after his long-standing Achilles issue but no return date has yet been suggested publicly.
Still on the treatment table to the best of our knowledge are the ankle-knacked Delano Burgzorg, Jacob Chapman and Jaheim Headley; hamstring-knacked Kian Harratt and Chris Maxwell; and groin-knacked Josh Ruffels.
Ollie Turton is out for the season with a knee injury.
We Are Terriers podcast live show
Don’t forget that David Hartrick and I will record an episode of the We Are Terriers podcast live at Magic Rock Huddersfield Taproom on Wednesday 13th March following the annual general meeting of the Huddersfield Town Supporters’ Association.
The AGM will take place at 6:30pm, with the podcast recording pencilled in for an 8pm start, though the exact timing may vary.
Attendance is free for all HTSA members. You can register for the event here — and if you’re not an HTSA member already, you can become one for the next 12 months for just £1. Sign up here.
There is no requirement for you to attend the AGM to attend the podcast live show, but you will still need to be an HTSA member. If you do wish to vote in the AGM, however, you will need to have registered as a member by no later than 28th February.
Predicted Huddersfield Town line-up to face Southampton
Another tough one to predict with managerial news pending, but the nature of the second-half performance against Sheffield Wednesday makes us think sticking is more likely than twisting.
That means we're predicting Koroma will start up front regardless of the uncertainty over the injuries that forced Radulovic and Healey off, with Ben Wiles' good showing from the bench also earning him a place in our side.
Centre-back is the real area of uncertainty now: how do you pick between Helik, Matty Pearson, Tom Lees and Radinio Balker?
We're going to go with the tried and tested trio, largely because it makes this lineup quite flexible: the option of keeping him at right-back means this same 11 could just as easily be laid out in the 4-2-3-1 Town played against the Owls with Wiles and Rudoni interchanging between the left wing and number 10.
Predicted lineup to face Southampton: (3-4-2-1): Lee Nicholls; Matty Pearson, Michal Helik, Tom Lees; Sorba Thomas, Alex Matos, Jonathan Hogg, Brodie Spencer; Ben Wiles, Jack Rudoni; Josh Koroma.
Substitutes: Giosue Bellagambi, Radinio Balker, Yuta Nakayama, Ben Jackson, Brahima Diarra, Tom Iorpenda, David Kasumu, Pat Jones, Bojan Radulovic/Rhys Healey/Tom Edwards (depending on injuries)
Our schedule
We're still going to have to be a bit flexible with our schedule this week while we await news on Town's next managerial appointment. If we get some (news, that is) we'll be sure to have some reaction to that. And probably just if we get some, come to think of it.
I don’t expect to be at my desk as much as normal this week, so please forgive me if I'm not quite as fast off the mark as usual with my reaction to any news - rest assured I'll get it to you as soon as I possibly can.
As such, our podcast reacting to the Sheffield Wednesday game is already out now for your aural delectation.
If we don't get any news, I'll sort out something else. We're due for a monthly Q&A, but ideally I would like to save that until a new manager has been appointed. Let's see where we stand later in the week, but you can start getting your questions in here just in case.
I will be at the Southampton game on Saturday as usual, so you can expect the usual player ratings in the free feed on the final whistle, followed by five conclusions sometime around Sunday lunchtime/afternoon.