Town’s great eight with big summer ahead
EIGHT Huddersfield Town players are facing a big summer with a new manager, contracts and injuries to contend with.
Here The Examiner looks at key players with issues to resolve.
■■DANNY WARD AND JOSH KOROMA
For different reasons from the rest of the players on this list, for the most part, with both of their futures still somewhat up in the air as it stands.
The pair have each been offered new deals but that’s no guarantee as to whether either or both of them will stay.
If they do sign, though, then Ward has a full summer to get back up to full fitness having pushed through an injury or two to come in and play a huge part for Neil Warnock, while Koroma will need a good summer to ensure he maintains the levels he hit in the second half of the season and avoid another regression in his rather hot-and-cold career.
■■SORBA THOMAS
The winger was exiled from the John Smith’s Stadium having fallen out of favour under Mark Fotheringham, then found himself benched again at Blackburn Rovers after a dim assessment of his performance in training by Jon Dahl
Tomasson. This summer is the first substantial break Thomas has had in an almost non-stop couple of years: last season finished late because of Town’s progress to the play-off final, but it still wasn’t over for the Welsh international as he immediately set off to represent his country, as he has over every international break including the World Cup. A bit of R&R could do Thomas the world of good before he returns to try and ensure he doesn’t find himself out of the next Town manager’s plans – assuming he doesn’t attract an irresistible transfer bid.
■■KIAN HARRATT (AND THE REST OF HUDDERSFIELD TOWN’S YOUNG STRIKERS)
Harratt’s memorable first goal for the club away to Watford led Warnock to declare: “It’s going to be a big season for him next season.
“He’s got to try and establish himself as a regular member of the squad, and I would imagine with a number of players coming in it will be a difficult job for some of the lads. But there’s no reason why he doesn’t – he’s got everything going for him.”
Even if Ward stays, there is an opportunity for any one of Harratt, Tyreece Simpson, Kieran Phillips or Kyle Hudlin to force their way ahead of Jordan Rhodes and perhaps even Ward himself in the pecking order for places.
Grabbing a few goals in pre-season friendlies wouldn’t do any of them any harm.
■■YUTA NAKAYAMA AND DUANE HOLMES
Both players finished the season injured but will hope to have better luck with their fitness next season.
The Japanese international seems to be further along in his recovery than his US counterpart, but both will be glad to be able to get a chunk of their rehab done during preseason as they eye their
respective returns.
■■PAT JONES
The pair have been offered new deals but there’s no guarantee as to whether either or both will stay
A player with plenty of talent who just needs to find fitness more consistently, the Welsh youth international winger could be a solution to what looks like a problem position for Town at the moment.
A full, uninterrupted summer with no further injury issues would be a significant triumph for Jones, and could well set him up to play a prominent part in the new campaign.
■■BRODIE SPENCER
Town finished last season with Matty Pearson at right-back after Ollie Turton suffered a heartbreaking season-ending ACL injury.
That will keep Turton out of the start of the new campaign, leaving Spencer as the only out-and-out right-back anywhere near the first team.
Still a teenager, it may just be a little bit too soon for the Northern Irishman to take a regular first-team place, but he will be keen to convince the new gaffer otherwise.