Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Lees linked to summer switch to the Terriers

- By JAMES SMAILES @examinerHT­AFC

of the season with a 9/10 for the latter half .........................................

THERE are people who think we have some kind of agenda against Bacuna, and it’s not that we think he’s a bad player - we just find him frustratin­g because he so clearly has talent but gets in his own way. Despite our complaints, we have to acknowledg­e he has contribute­d and had especially good runs in December and March - but the rest of the time he’s been pretty dreadful ........................................

FOR our money, Town’s player of the year. He’s not been the best player on the pitch on many occasions, but he has consistent­ly been better than the majority of his teammates and hasn’t once had an extended bad spell ......................

TOOK a little while to get fully up to speed before we saw him at his best in late November-early December. Had dipped again even before his injury - perhaps not a coincidenc­e but returned in April to show the quality Town had been missing in his absence even if that was mostly from the bench ................................

HAS struggled to get going since his return to the John Smith’s Stadium in January. He’s been moved around the pitch so much it’s been next to impossible for him to put together any kind of form - but that sympathy only extends so far and we need see better out of him in the new season ...........................................

ONE of the few shining lights of a horrible second half of the season. Really looking forward to hopefully seeing him more regularly from the start of next season ..........................

YET another season to forget for Pritchard, who is now free to go and try and re-start his career elsewhere ................................................

HARD to judge him properly on a load of 15-20 substitute appearance­s, but it’s encouragin­g that he hasn’t really looked out of place on those outings ...............................

WAS one of the Championsh­ip’s leading players for assists around the season’s midway point. Trailed off badly after mid-January but has still exceeded our wildest expectatio­ns overall .....................................

WHO knows what might have been if he had stayed not picked up that injury? The unquestion­able breakout star and the great hope for next season, too .......................................

17 appearance­s! Can you believe it? ..................................................

WE’VE never seen him at full speed as he picked up an injury just as he was starting to get up to match sharpness after a year on the sidelines. Has had a couple of games to offer tentative encouragem­ent away to Bristol and Luton, especially - but is another who could benefit strongly from a summer on the training pitch .........................

CONSIDERIN­G the club were thinking of sending him out on loan when he first arrived, he’s done well.

Seems to have the right attitude to succeed and could be one to watch next season ..................................

HUGELY selfless, which is not always what Town need from their number 9 - but that’s not his fault. Never gives less than one hundred percent and merits the new contract he got...as long as he’s not required to play as much next season ..........

MANAGED just six league starts in an injury-hit campaign and didn’t look convincing until the very end of the season. Needs to put it behind him and come back stronger next season ..............................................

OFFERED little in attack, but his signing was much more to do with giving Town another way to play that would stop them getting into trouble as often. In that regard, he was a success: the rate at which Town conceded dropped dramatical­ly whenever Sanogo was on the pitch as they shipped just four goals in his 482 minutes ...........................

WORKED hard and looks to have put his injury problems behind him, which represents excellent progress. Looks ready for a loan spell next season ...........................................

SHEFFIELD Wednesday defender Tom Lees could find himself moving across Yorkshire to stay in the Championsh­ip next season.

That’s if the touted interest in Lees becomes a firm offer, with Huddersfie­ld Town reportedly ready to make a move for the vastly experience­d 30-year-old.

Relegated Wednesday are preparing to confirm their retained list in the coming days, with the out-of -contract Lees expected to depart in an effort to stay in the Championsh­ip and with the Owls no doubt having to make a sizeable cut to his wages to keep him in League One.

Lees’ form improved considerab­ly once he relinquish­ed the captain’s armband and many Wednesday fans would like to see the defender remain at Hillsborou­gh to lead a charge out of League One and back to the Championsh­ip.

That looks unlikely, with the former Leeds United player set to end his seven year stay at the Owls.

Wednesday face a significan­t summer of recruitmen­t should the transfer embargo be lifted, with manager Darren Moore eager to add youth and energy into his side as somewhat of an overhaul of the squad takes place before life in the third tier commences.

Town, meanwhile, are also preparing to make significan­t changes to their squad after a miserable season which saw the club finish just outside the relegation zone.

Carlos Corberan is planning a number of changes in key positions, with defence one area for improvemen­t and experience in the squad will be needed with Tommy Elphick, Alex Pritchard, Christophe­r Schindler and Richard Stearman all leaving the club.

 ??  ?? Juninho Bacuna (44 apps, 3,414 mins)
Jonathan Hogg (38 apps, 3,173 mins)
■■Carel Eiting
(23 apps, 1,560 mins)
Duane Holmes
(19 apps, 1,249 mins)
Alex Vallejo
(17 apps, 1,118 mins)
Alex Pritchard (19 apps, 746 mins)
Scott High
(14 apps, 301 mins)
Isaac Mbenza
(37 apps, 2,367 mins)
Josh Koroma
(21 apps, 1,715 mins)
Jonathan Hogg
Adama Diakhaby (17 apps, 648 mins):
■■Rolando Aarons (11 apps, 517 mins)
Sorba Thomas (7 apps, 171 mins)
Fraizer Campbell (40 apps, 2,982 mins)
Danny Ward
(20 apps, 795 mins)
Yaya Sanogo (9 apps, 482 mins)
Kieran Phillips (11 apps, 285 mins)
Josh Koroma’s
injury had a hug impact on Town’s campaign
Juninho Bacuna (44 apps, 3,414 mins) Jonathan Hogg (38 apps, 3,173 mins) ■■Carel Eiting (23 apps, 1,560 mins) Duane Holmes (19 apps, 1,249 mins) Alex Vallejo (17 apps, 1,118 mins) Alex Pritchard (19 apps, 746 mins) Scott High (14 apps, 301 mins) Isaac Mbenza (37 apps, 2,367 mins) Josh Koroma (21 apps, 1,715 mins) Jonathan Hogg Adama Diakhaby (17 apps, 648 mins): ■■Rolando Aarons (11 apps, 517 mins) Sorba Thomas (7 apps, 171 mins) Fraizer Campbell (40 apps, 2,982 mins) Danny Ward (20 apps, 795 mins) Yaya Sanogo (9 apps, 482 mins) Kieran Phillips (11 apps, 285 mins) Josh Koroma’s injury had a hug impact on Town’s campaign
 ??  ?? Tom Lees
Tom Lees

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