Town boss urges disgruntled fans to ‘stay together’

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN head coach Andre Breitenreiter has issued a final call for supporters to ‘stay together’ in the run-in – and insists the club will only achieve their aims of Championship safety if they do so.

Sections of Town’s travelling support were openly critical of Breitenreiter, pictured, following his decision not to make attacking substitutions when his side were down to 10 men in the recent game at rockbottom Rotherham United, which ended in a frustrating 0-0 draw ahead of the last international break of the season.

While the German viewed it as the pragmatic thing to do in the circumstances to minimise the risk of a potentially psychologically damaging defeat, many Town followers thought otherwise and their opprobrium perturbed the 50-year-old.

On the need to stay calm, Breitenreiter, whose side welcome Coventry City on Good Friday, said: “Absolutely, because I try to go this way as a head coach. I didn’t find this after the Rotherham game, to be honest.

“I couldn’t understand the reaction. I understand the dissatisfaction over many years when you have finished in 10 or 12 years in 16th or worse and just two times better.

“For me, it’s really important to say again that the most important thing is to stay together.

“We need our supporters and they did it so well in every other game, they were behind the team and we need this.

“The reaction after Rotherham after 0-0 and 10 players… Normally, it was the last chance for Rotherham to win one game against 10 men and it was easier, but they had no chance (chances in the game).

“The boys need all the support they (fans) can give. We have eight more games and it’s really important to stay together.

“This is the chance to stay in the league and I am totally sure for this.

But when we don’t stay together, there is no chance.”

Rhys Healey is in contention on Friday after being out since early February with a groin issue, with fellow January arrival Bojan Radulovic also available.

Both have had tough starts to their Town careers, but Breitenreiter believes that both possess the quality to make a telling impact in the run home. The Terriers chief, still without Tom Lees (calf ), continued: “With Bojan, I’ve had some talks in the last few days.

“He had a really difficult start and it was not easy for him and also all the other players when you are out.

“For 10 days, he has been with the team without a little injury and he’s trained well and you can see he has the quality and is a striker who can score goals.

“You can see this, but the Championship is not like the league in Finland and it’s much stronger and it needs some time.

“But he is a player with quality and you can see and it’s the same with Rhys.

“He had many injuries (before) and an injury now at Huddersfield. But now he’s trained hard and he’s absolutely professional and positive and provokes me to let him in the squad on Friday!

“He’s ready and has told me he can score goals. We need goals. Maybe I give him the chance.”