FOTHERINGHAM HAS HEADACHE BUT ALSO AN A-LIST SUPPORT! Terriers face tough task to stay up
MARK FOTHERINGHAM has a huge task keeping Huddersfield up but the rookie boss is tackling the job with some A-list support.
Fotheringham 38, saw his first game as the manager and main man of the Championship strugglers end in disappointing defeat against high-flying Reading.
The former Hertha Berlin and Cowdenbeath assistant coach became a third Terriers manager in three months when he replaced the sacked Danny Schofield. And among good-luck messages was one from football legend Jurgen Klinsmann – who won the World Cup as a player and led Germany to third as a coach.
Fotheringham said: “It’s been unbelievable the amount of messages I’ve had wishing me well.
“I was on the phone the other day to my wife when Jurgen Klinsmann called me – and told me he has going to come and watch a Huddersfield game. For him to do that, and Felix Magath who I worked with at Hertha to do that - Michael Henke, Neil Lennon, Alan Stubbs - it’s great.
“I have done my apprenticeship in Germany. Getting the chance when a team is struggling is a bit how it’s been for me. At Ingolstadt we arrived to try and keep them in the league.
“We went down, had a season to get over the disappointment, then came up – so it’s a process, but what I love is working with the young players. What hurt me most against Reading was the soft nature of the goals. There are things there you can iron out straight away on the training pitch.”
Reading were two up after 36 minutes through a Tom McIntyre header and a comedy own goal from Huddersfield keeper Lee Nicholls after defender Michal Helik’s attempted clearance hit him and went in. Sub Yakou Meite (above) added a late third after more poor defending. Tom Lees headed in a consolation goal for the visitors.
Huddersfield midfielder David Kasumu said: “We’ve only had a week with the new gaffer so it’s about building from that now and we go again Tuesday against Luton.”
McIntyre (above left) said: “We were more ruthless in this game, and put chances away, even though we could still have had four or five.
“It is three games in a week now with Norwich on Tuesday and a game on Friday, so we have to be ready.”
Royals boss Paul Ince still insists he is looking at “survival first”. Norwich visit this week and he said: “It will be a tough game. But this result was massive and if we play like we did in the first half we don’t fear anyone and can go into that game with confidence.”