A debate to be had over left-back role
THE Terriers need quality in certain areas in the transfer market this summer, but one position that looks promising already is left-back – despite Josh Ruffels’ contract winding down to its end.
Ruffels started the majority of Huddersfield Town’s games last season despite finding himself out of the side early on, with Yuta Nakayama establishing himself as the preferred choice only to suffer a season-ending Achilles injury in November.
The Japanese international should hopefully be able to make his return in the new campaign, however, with Jaheim Headley and Ben Jackson offering alternative options.
What follows is a transcript of the discussion we had about that topic on the latest episode of our podcast ‘Ooh To Be A Terrier’.
You can subscribe to the podcast via Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts by searching for ‘Ooh To Be A Terrier’.
■■HARTRICK
“I think it would be lovely to sign Ruffels up because I think we were starting to see what he could do and as back-up left-backs go I think he’s in the higher end in the league.
“The only thing I would say is I imagine it would be difficult to convince him to come knowing that Yuta’s going to be first-choice realistically and there’s going to be others [pushing for a place].
“Can you sign him up again knowing he’s probably going to make 15 appearances next season?
“Probably not, he’s good enough to go somewhere and play a full season, and that’s fine.
“I think Yuta coming back is the big thing there, isn’t it? I was talking to a couple of Town fans, actually, and they were saying ‘oh, we desperately need to sign a left-back, we must sign a left-back’, and when I reminded them that Yuta was coming back they had genuinely completely forgotten he was at the club, which goes to show how long this season has felt doesn’t it?”
■■CHICKEN
“Yes – out since November!
“I know Headley and Jackson have played pretty much exclusively on the wing under Warnock when they’ve not played at wing-back, but I think that was a horses for courses thing.
“But I think particularly, if you’re looking at doing a new manager, new era, build for the future – even if Yuta wasn’t ready or was injured again or something like that, who do you want to give those minutes to? Do you want it to be Josh Ruffels, who’s 29, or give them to Jaheim Headley?”