Huddersfield Town digest: One in, one out, two more on the injury list
Tawanda Chirewa speaks to the media for the first time, and Michael Duff reveals further injury concerns
What’s been said
— Michael Duff, on Tawanda Chirewa’s arrival to the club, at his Thursday afternoon press conference:
“It was a late one. It just brings something a little bit different to what we have already got in the squad.
“We just felt that in the last couple of weeks, when we get to that top third we are probably lacking someone that can beat a man or unlock a door, so I don’t think you can ever have enough creativity in the team.
“We are delighted to have him. He obviously has got a good pedigree, and we have got a good relationship with the parent club.
“He had a loan at Derby and he did okay there, so yeah, we are delighted to have him.
“You can probably tell just by speaking to him that he is an infectious type of character. He is buzzing to be here, it helps that he knows a couple of lads as well, so hopefully it will be a positive addition.
“He can play as a ten, he can play as a nine, a right winger or left winger, so he bring versatility as well.”
— Michael Duff, on Bojan Radulovic’s exit on loan, at his Thursday afternoon press conference:
“Bojan needed a break, it just wasn’t working for him.
“It wasn’t working for him, and it wasn’t working for us. It’s not a personal thing, Bojan ultimately scored two goals in 35 games in 12 or 13 months.
“He had a difficult start under me, because he missed quite a chunk of preseason, and players will always tell you when you miss the start of preseason it is difficult to catch up.
“It came about quite late, but we will see what happens in the summer. It’s not like he has been written off.
“It just worked best for all parties that we have a break.”
— Michael Duff, on recent results, at his Thursday afternoon press conference:
“I was angry. I think the supporters were angry as well, quite rightly so, but you don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water as well.
“It was a bad week last week, there is no getting away from it. I can try and dress it up as much as you want, it was a bad week, but that performance was the worst performance by a country mile.
“It was a lack of physicality, and that is the worst thing to be labelled as a football player, that someone wanted it more than you did.
“Birmingham I thought we got beat by one moment of quality. The Bolton game was different, we maybe lacked a bit of quality but it wasn’t through lack of endeavour.
“We had quite a big meeting with them (the squad) on Monday morning and it wasn’t just me stood at the front pontificating, saying ‘Do this! Don’t do this! Don’t do that!’ because that is pointless.
“We got them to open up a little bit, and we will see if it worked or not but it felt that Tuesday and Thursday have been really good training sessions since.”
— Michael Duff, on even more injury issues, at his Thursday afternoon press conference:
“It’s not been a great week on the injury front.
“Ruben Roosken’s got a whack in the first half and done well to play the rest until we took him off at half time. It doesn’t look great, so he is due to see a surgeon on Monday or Tuesday next week. They have seen the scans that don’t look good, but until the surgeon gets their actual physical hands on we won’t know but he won’t be back anytime soon.
“Rhys Healey landed awkwardly. He is booked in for surgery next week and we probably won’t see Rhys again this season.
“I am not sure what someone has done, but it has been difficult with injuries and this has just added to it.
“David Kasumu is back in full training, so that’s the positive of this week, that he has had a full week’s training.”
— Michael Duff, on the Reading fixture, at his Thursday afternoon press conference:
“They are really young, energetic. So again, if you don’t show levels of energy we will get beat.
“They have got some quality, they’re sniffing in and around the play-offs as well, so they will be thinking that they can come here, beat us, and be right on our coattails.
“Their change of manager hasn’t really changed much. I know Noel quite well, but in terms of that they have carried on their good momentum.
“They lost Sam Smith, we will have to wait and see whether that hurts them or not, but he is a good player.
“A lot of it’s on us. We’re at home and we need to react off the back of last week, but if we think that we are at home and we are just going to win, we have been burnt by that one a few times.
“They are a good team who will hurt us if we are not at it.”
— Tawanda Chirewa, on joining the club, at his Thursday afternoon press conference:
“I am buzzing to be here, and can’t wait to get going on Saturday.
“As soon as I spoke to the manager, I kind of got a little glimpse of what the situation is here, and I was sold already. I just wanted to get down here and get to it.
“Everyone has been welcoming. Training has been at a good level, high-intensity. I can see that everyone is eager to get out there on Saturday and right the wrongs of last week.”
— Tawanda Chirewa, on how he fits into Duff’s system, at his Thursday afternoon press conference:
“Knowing the way I play, the Gaffer obviously wants me to express myself in terms of scoring, assisting, creating chances, and also just defensively making sure that I’m in the right structure, because I think that working hard is a given. That is something which every player will always do, but making sure you’re in the right position to work hard is the most important thing.
“I wouldn’t class myself as a winger.
“I would class myself as an attacking player. I don’t think I’m a winger, or that I am someone that stays high and wide. I can do it, I can play in the pocket, I can play on the right and the left.
“I don’t think in modern day football, one player plays one position, so I think I can play across the front line and some of the midfield positions as well.”
— Tawanda Chirewa, on his previous loan at Derby County, at his Thursday afternoon press conference:
“I learnt a lot being at Derby. It was an experience where, on the pitch, I wouldn’t say I had the chance to play as much as I wanted to, but off the pitch I learnt so much.
“With Paul Warne and the injuries as well, there were a lot of battles I think I faced, especially when I joined and then had the concussion - one set back and then the injury was another set back. Being someone who is very religious I looked to God and grew my faith with him even stronger.”
— Tawanda Chirewa, on being a part of a team chasing promotion, at his Thursday afternoon press conference:
“It’s what attracted me to this club, and made me want to come here because I just knew that the ambitions are so big - I am quite ambitious myself, so it aligns.
“I have goals for myself being here, but the goal that is the most important is winning this Saturday. That’s the first goal, win this Saturday, and then the next Saturday, and the week after that. My goals for myself come second.”
Coming up next
Reading visit the John Smith’s Stadium for the first time since a 2-0 defeat back in 2023, where they took on Neil Warnock’s ‘The Great Escape pt.2’ side.
Currently sitting 8th in the League One table, the Royals have been on a mixed run since losing manager Ruben Selles to Hull City in early December. Former Reading striker Noel Hunt is now the man in charge at the Majewski.
Not only have Reading lost their manager, but their top scorer too. Sam Smith left the Berkshire side for Wrexham, after scoring 11 goals for them this season.
On the back of beating Bolton Wanderers 1-0 last weekend, Reading now sit only four points away from fifth place Town, with the potential of closing the gap further on Saturday.
Huddersfield Town injuries and absences
Tom Lees will wear a mask due to a broken nose but is available.
Josh Koroma is expected to be back following a minor quad issue.
David Kasumu has been training and is available to return to the side after his hamstring injury.
Nigel Lonwijk will get another scan on his hamstring and will miss another couple of weeks.
Ruben Roosken awaits scans after hyper-extending his knee at Northampton.
Joe Taylor is predicted to miss all of February with a hamstring injury.
Mickel Miller remains out until spring with an MCL injury.
Rhys Healey needs surgery and is set to miss the remainder of the season with cartilage damage.
Danny Ward is out for the season with a knee ligament injury.
Predicted line-up to face Reading
3-4-1-2: Jacob Chapman; Radinio Balker, Tom Lees, Brodie Spencer; Lasse Sorensen, Jonathan Hogg, David Kasumu, Josh Koroma; Ben Wiles; Callum Marshall, Dion Charles
Substitutes: Lee Nicholls, Ollie Turton, Matty Pearson, Antony Evans, Herbie Kane, Joe Hodge, Tawanda Chirewa.
Huddersfield Town Women
It was disappointment for Town Women last weekend, who lost their first home game since back in September, as they lost 1-0 to Durham Cestria.
This weekend, Town travel to take on Norton & Stockton in what is a must win for Glen Preston’s side.
Their is currently a ten point gap between the Terriers and top of the table Cheadle, with Town having two games in hand. With Norton & Stockton in the relegation zone, it is imperative that Town come away with three points.
Our schedule
There will be full coverage of this weekend’s match against Reading as usual. Player ratings on the whistle, five conclusions on Sunday morning, and we are just figuring out the logistics of recording the podcast and having that ready for you on Monday.
It will be me on content this weekend, Steven Chicken is unfortunately under the weather, so David Hartrick and myself will be on pod duties once again.
Town Women’s match ratings and report will be out on Sunday from up in Norton.