We Are Terriers

Below are selected highlights from Thursday afternoon’s press conference. You can find the full audio above or in your We Are Terriers podcast feed.Lee GrantKatherine Hannah (BBC Radio Leeds): The new arrival announced today, then — Bali Mumba. What can you tell us about him and what he will bring to Huddersfield Town? Firstly, we’re delighted he’s joined us, and I think it’s a really positive signing for the football club, I have to say. He’s a player I’ve liked for a long time, I told Bali this yesterday — it was three or four years ago down at Portman Road, and he cut in from the right and put one in top bins.That sticks in my memory, and he’s been in my radar since that moment, I have to be honest.But he’s a player that can play across several positions, so we’ve seen him ply his trade across the front line for Plymouth, we’ve seen him play his trade at both wing-back positions and full-backs not out of the question for him. And that is obviously a huge tick in the column for us in terms of where he can ply his trade.But the other part of it is his age, and think he’s a really good footballer as well, so we’re excited by that one, and we’re really pleased with how the windows open up so farKH: Will he be available to play this weekend?He will be, because he’s played a lot of minutes, if you look over the festive period, and I think his last 90 minutes was against Burton, in fact. He’s trained with us today, he’s in a good place, so of course, we’ve got to think about the big picture in the context of just being in the building. But yeah, he’ll be in a place where he’ll be available.Steven Chicken (We Are Terriers): I appreciate you may not want to give too much away ahead of potentially his debut, but where do you see Bali fitting into this side? We know that he’s a very versatile player…Yeah, and in all honesty, I would like to keep that up my sleeve and cards close to my chest on that one,Bali can play as a left wing-back, he can play as a right wing-back, he can play as a full-back on either side at a stretch. He can play as a right winger or a left winger. He can play in the pocket on the left side, on the right side, and he can play as a forward off the striker on either side of the pitch.So apart from central midfield, which I’m not sure I’ve seen him play, or with a pair of [goalie] gloves on either, he can probably play in most of the positions.Mine and Bali’s conversation this morning centred around probably keeping those options fewer, rather than keeping the scope hugely wide, just because he’s got a lot to take in at the moment: he’s got new surroundings, new training ground, new teammates, new everything, so we probably don’t want Bali to try to absorb seven different positions worth of information over the next few weeks.But, yeah, we also want to be able to utilise him, as and when, wherever we think he can be effective.KH: You said there you’re pleased with how the squad is shaping up this January window. Can you give us an idea of what the plan is? Where do you want to be by the end of January?Stronger than where we started, and that really is it in a nutshell, Katherine.We feel like we’ve made good strides on that already, and I think the January window for every club is tricky to navigate, sure, but if you can come out of it with a feeling of ‘we feel as though we’ve improved the squad picture’, then that’ll be a huge bonus for everybody. I think we’re taking great strides towards that already, and I’m pleased with what we’ve done, and that has to be the aim.KH: Still more to come, do we expect?Yeah, it’s tough to say. As I said right at the beginning, I think I said we have to be ready to adapt to any situation. We have to be able to assess and understand the needs of all of the players that are in the building.So do I see the picture changing? Probably yes, if I’m being really honest. I think the squad probably will look slightly different than what it looks today, but in reality, that’s by one or two players in either direction.So as I said, we’ve got to be ready to move and adapt and obviously, of course, see how things progress in terms of fitness, availability, injury and form across the next couple of weeks.KH: It’s a nice position to be in that you were getting, clearly, the backing from your owner and chairman. It doesn’t sound like you’ve had to fight too hard for him to open the chequebook?Well, I think if you look at the signings we brought in in the window, of course, we’re always trying to look at things from a business perspective and balance the books, so that’s important.We’ve taken strides to do that in this window as well, as we did in the window before, with [selling] Sorba [Thomas] and with Brodie [Spencer]. So that’s obviously important.But yes, without doubt, having a chairman that is prepared to react when a situation arises, as we’ve seen in Bali’s case — he’s one that will be important for the football club as well, it’s a sound piece of business, and for me personally, of course, it’s a positive without a doubt.KH: Any team news ahead of the weekend?No, nothing significant. Obviously, Alfie had his knock prior to Rotherham, so we’re delighted he came through the game OK and with no adverse reactions post-game either. The injured ones are the injured ones, and Sean [Roughan] and Jack [Whatmough] and Herbie [Kane] are pushing, and [Antony] Evans are all pushing really hard on the training ground and doing what they can. But of course, still a bit to go for most of those.But yeah, other than that, as we were.SC: So all good on Will Alves after his little kick on Tuesday?Yeah, he was sore coming off the pitch, and in some ways it was probably needed in that it was his first real whack on the injury, and to know that you can have that and come through it is obviously a positive sign.So, yeah, no ill effects from that. Obviously, he was recovering with the recovery group today…the lads that played the game on Tuesday are still sort of half-training, half-recovering. But no, he came through OK as well.Radinio BalkerSC: Admittedly, as you say, you’ve conceded some goals you wouldn’t have liked to concede recently. On the whole though, when you look at the xG, when you look at the number of goals conceded, it has been better over the past few weeks since this change of shape. Do you feel like this system suits you as a defence?If you look at the numbers, yes. I think because of the way we play, it’s taken away sometimes a little bit of the attacking. But, I mean, we’ve played the same way on Tuesday [against Rotherham], and it’s looked very attacking as well. So it’s difficult to say, but you would say yes, if you look at the stats, and it feels like that as well.Even against Stockport, we didn’t play well, we were defending a lot, but I feel like we didn’t really give up many chances against them. Yeah, they had some shots, they had some pressure on us, for sure, but I think that security in the back with an extra man saves us those big, big chances that we that other teams create against us. So you could say defensively, it actually works really well, yeah.SC: Speaking to the manager, he seems to think the difference in those games, like Stockport or Bradford, or plenty of other games against the big teams…is it a matter of self-belief, as the manager seems to think? Do you think you and your teammates need to find that extra level in those big games?Well, that speaks for itself. I think if you look at the record we have against the top teams, it doesn’t look good. So you could say maybe we need to show some more balls, because what we have done before hasn’t worked either.So I wouldn’t say it’s self-belief, but I feel like in a game, you have moments where you’re under pressure, and then it’s easy to kick the ball away because you don’t want to concede. And that’s something that you need to — again, the same word I used before — balance. You need to balance it out.Yes, sometimes kick the ball out. Sometimes keep the ball away because you’re in a dangerous area. But sometimes, you need to have the confidence to keep it and play out of that pressure from the other team.So yeah, I can’t really answer the question, I can only speak for myself, and for myself, I don’t think it’s a lack of confidence. It’s just knowing as a team what you need in that moment. I think that’s the best answer I can give. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.weareterriers.com/subscribe

Below are selected highlights from Tuesday afternoon’s press conference. You can find the full audio above or in your We Are Terriers podcast feed.Lee GrantChris Nee (We Are Terriers): Lee, we’ll start, if you don’t mind, with your reflections after Stockport, please.Yeah. So, difficult afternoon, difficult in many senses. Because not only do we not reach our level in terms of really going after the game and being successful in the things that we set out to do, but then having got the game to a stage where we, you know, look as though we’re coming away with a point and a clean sheet, we then, obviously, yeah, turn that into into no reward and zero points from the game. So, yeah, that’s tough to take, of course, but we know internally that we have to be better.And as it stood with the point and the clean sheet on offer, but 90+6 minutes or whatever it was, we still would have been wholly dissatisfied, I think, with how the game went.CN: Do you understand or even share the frustration of the supporters after a game like that?Without a doubt. Intrinsically, we understand it. I understand it. Share it, for sure. We’re living it. So we’re certainly, with regards to our level at the weekend, we’re not satisfied, and we certainly feel as though we’ve we’ve come up short, and I’ve come up short, in terms of the display that we put on show.CN: You’ve brought in a keeper and another keeper has gone in the other direction. Can I ask the thinking behind those two transactions?Pretty straightforward, in all honesty, in that we had to do what was right by Owen [Goodman] and of course, had to take into account Owen’s wishes and Crystal Palace’s wishes in the matter, and all of those things being considered, it was a very straightforward decision for all of us, and we did make that decision mutually, along with Owen and along with Crystal Palace.So, yeah, we came to the decision that that was best for all parties. And then, of course, finding the replacement and doing so in in good time was really important.CN: We saw Cameron [Humphreys] at the weekend. Do you expect to sort of see him in that deeper role more often, or is it a versatile player that you’ve brought in?Very much so, yeah, very much. So we can use Cammy in all of the positions centrally. My belief is that across the across the you know, five months or so that he’s going to be with us, we will get an opportunity to see Cam as a more aggressive central midfielder, as a deeper one, and perhaps at times, as a more attacking outlet for us. So yeah, we know he has that versatility and those attributes to his game, so we want to make sure we use them.CN: It’s clearly a blow to lose a player who was in the kind of form that Leo Castledine was in. Are you looking to bring in a pretty direct replacement for him, or is that somewhere where Will Alves and Zeppy Redmond can step in?Yeah, well, it’s difficult. I think it’s going to be difficult for us to replace Leo, that’s for sure. So Leo worked hard, and we worked really hard with Leo to get him into a position where we felt as though he could contribute significantly. And he was doing that. We found the right slot for him, and he was really consistent with his level.So yeah, that’s a blow that’s tough to take for all of us. We also feel as though we’ve got one or two that are ready to step up. So of course, they have to do that, and we want to help them to do that.So yeah, that’ll be the goal. Of course, if we have an opportunity to find another Leo Castledine, nobody’s going to turn their nose up at that. But as I said, I think that’s going to be very, very difficult.CN: Is the Vertu Trophy game a chance to maybe bring a few of those players back in and give them some minutes?Yeah, quite possibly so. We’ve got one or two now that are pushing hard to be back available and around it. You know, Mickel Miller, Marcus McGuane, Will Alves, people like those guys that we’ve not seen a great deal of recently, and then one or two that, you know would have liked to have had more minutes than perhaps they’ve had more recently, again, will get an opportunity.But as we’ve said before every single game, it’s a really important competition to us. So you know, we’ll pick a side that we feel as though can go out there and get the right result for us.CN: What’s the status of Alfie May at the moment?Yeah, look Alfie, it was disappointing one, I think for all of us concerned. We selected Alfie to play at the weekend. He didn’t feel as though he was able to do that, so yeah, we have to see if he’s if he makes the cup for for Tuesday. My hope is that it settles quickly and we can have him back around it.CN: Do you have a time frame on Sean Roughan as well?Yeah. Sean Roughan, I think we said at the time, initially four to six weeks, that hasn’t changed. So he’s progressing along nicely.Lynden GoochCN: Why do you think the the team falls a bit short against teams around you?I’m not too sure. Obviously, the results are there to see against the top sides. And unfortunately, for whatever reason, we haven’t managed to get those results and performances that we want.But yeah, look, I think if we finish the game 0-0 you go, ‘It’s a good point, we rolled our sleeves up and and dug in,’ which we did. And unfortunately, the last kick the game didn’t go our way. And that’s really disappointing.But like I say, we’ve been on a really good run. It doesn’t need to be doom and gloom. We need to get back to what we’ve done well over the last month or so to get back to those results.CN: One thing that will help that is avoiding conceding late goals. As you say, 0-0 would have been a very respectable outcome on Saturday. Is that down to concentration over the last couple of games?Maybe, yeah, you could put it that way, I think the goal on Saturday was obviously disappointing, and we should have defended it better. We know that. So that’s that’s on us to to see the game out and and obviously against Exeter as well, in the closing stages.So look, we, we are under no illusions how disappointing that is and how disappointing that is as a football club, as the fans would be disappointed, we’re just as much as disappointed.And yeah, look, we want to obviously stop that routine happening and but we can’t whinge about it or get down about it. We have to be grown men and face it and try and do better. CN: What is the mood like at the moment? Obviously, the results were fine for a while and then slightly disappointing on Saturday. But big games coming up, big month coming up, is there confidence and fire in the group?Yeah, of course, look, confidence is still high. We still believe we can beat anyone on our day and and we’re still in a really positive place in in the division, and there’s still a long, long way to go.When I got promoted at Sunderland, we were outside the play-off places at this stage. We fell down quite a bit and managed to get back in and go up through the play-offs. So there’s still so much to play for. It’s not over just because we got beat at the weekend.And look, we we want to go far in the Vertu Trophy as well because winning breeds confidence and and belief, and we want to go far in that tournament as well. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.weareterriers.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.weareterriers.comHuddersfield Town’s unbeaten run ended at seven matches thanks to their first loss of 2026. It was a late goal that turned one point into none at Stockport County and Dominic Howson joins David Hartrick to carry out the postmortem.With the January transfer window now well underway, we look at a busy week of business that saw Town add Jak Alnwick and Cam…

Below are selected highlights from Wednesday morning’s press conference. You can find the full audio above or in your We Are Terriers podcast feed.Louis Reynolds (BBC Radio Leeds): What can you learn from Exeter a few days on?Well, certainly we’ve got a way, I think, of making it easier for ourselves to take maximum points in that game, and that is by having more control and being the version of ourselves that we’ve shown many times this season, and being better with the football than what we were in the second half.And then, of course, there also comes a point where, when you get late in the game where we have to shut the door, and it has to be what it has to be, and the result has to stay as it is. Probably we didn’t quite change into that mindset, I don’t think, and again, I take my share of the responsibility in that as well.So again, myself, the group — we get to the bottom of that, we understand where we can all be better, and we look to apply those lessons.LR: It’s going to be a big month, isn’t it? I mean, it started with the big game away at Lincoln, and Stockport, Bradford, Luton, Peterborough who are in good form…how do you look ahead to the rest of this month?Just really excited. It’s a great month for us in terms of the sort of development we’ve had over the recent weeks and making sure we’ve fixed some of the things we wanted to fix. The group have done great on that, and I’m so pleased with how they’ve taken a lot of that information on and applied it in-game, so I’m excited to see that being really challenged now in big games away from home on a couple of occasions.LR: It’s January, there will be questions about the transfer window. Is there any update you can tell us in terms of incomings? Is there anything going on behind the scenes at all?Nothing quite yet, no. We’re just monitoring everything right now. We’re in a situation where I think, if I’m being really honest, I don’t think the squad will look exactly the same at the end of January to how it looks right now today, and if I was also being really honest, could I predict who, what, where and when? The answer would be no. So it would really be pointless to me, for me to sit here and say this has happened, because there isn’t anything in the offing right now, at this moment in time.We’re aware that everybody wants to play, so that will throw up things naturally. Of course, we’re aware that we might be an attractive option for people as well, so that might throw things up. And we’re also aware that we’re striving really hard to get to where we want to go. So if we feel like there’s something that could help us, I’m certain we’ve got a motivated football club and owner that would push to try and give us that opportunity. So, yeah, we have to be ready to adapt and move and change as and when necessary.LR: Forgive the persistent question from myself and my colleagues, has anything changed regarding Leo [Castledine]?I forgive you, don’t worry!The answer is, all of that is external to my control, so I don’t put a great deal of stress or emotion into that. What I do put my stress and energy into is working with everybody, of course Leo included, helping him, making sure that he retains his importance to the team, and that’s how I’ll continue to play it.LR: What about Owen [Goodman]’s situation? Because, obviously, you’ve been a goalkeeper yourself. He’s come here to play. Some people are talking, maybe he could return to Crystal Palace. What’s your view on that?Yeah, it’s going to be tough. I think it’s tough for Owen, because I love him and brought him in because our feeling is that he’s going to have a tremendous career and hope, of course, as well, that he’ll be incredibly important for what we’re trying to do this year now.Right now, I’ve got to say, I’ve been delighted with Lee [Nicholls], delighted, so that’s going to put Owen in a situation where he’s going to be frustrated and perhaps looking at ‘how can I affect my situation?’ — because you have to be selfish about your own career and situation. Me and Owen are in constant conversation, in all honesty, on how that looks and how that will play out, and I’ve got to be fair to Owen, and I’ve also got to be right by what’s right for us as a football club.So again, it probably falls into that category of a situation that I’m alive to and ready to react if and when necessary.RL: Team news wise, is everyone who was involved in Exeter fit to play? Can you welcome anyone back for the weekend?Yeah, it’s going to be difficult for Sean Roughan.Other than that, I think we’re in a good place. We’re pushing with one or two as well. So we’re pushing with Mickel Miller, Marcus McGuane, we’re pushing with Josh Feeney, so obviously that was pleasing. So yeah, we’re in a decent place.Steven Chicken (We Are Terriers): Is Joe Low any closer?Yeah, that’ll be right to the wire, I think, that one.SC: We’ve not seen Joe Taylor or Ruben Roosken in your squad recently. What do they need to do to get back into your thoughts at the moment?Ruben is another one having really good conversations — open, honest — and I think you’ve seen how much Ruben’s played for me across the course of this season. As with everybody, it’s a fight and a scrap, and there’s no guarantees.But for everybody that shows great application and work and dedication and wants to do the things that we think will help him and the team, whoever that may be, there’s always opportunity. So for Ruben, no stress, he’s played a lot and will continue to play.For Joe, it can be frustrating if you’ve got that chain above you of one, two and three and all playing in that position, and perhaps one or two playing really well in that position. So it can be really frustrating. Joe, again, has contributed significantly over the course of the first six months while I’ve been at the football club.I’m also aware that every situation is different, every context is different. So again, despite my own wishes, I have to be alive and fair and across what might be different from one individual to the next.Joe’s situation might be different to Ruben’s, for example, and again, we have to treat them specifically. We have to treat them like: ‘right, OK, what’s right for Joe in this moment’, and what’s right for Joe from all angles — for the football club, for his development, for us trying to achieve our goals.We have to weigh all those things up, and we will continue to do that across the course of January. I don’t have any worries about Joe and him being in a position to contribute, I really don’t, because he’s shown us that he can.SC: Is there a possibility he (Taylor) might leave during this transfer window?I don’t know. I don’t know. I really don’t.Like I said, I think there’s probably several obvious ones where you can look at and say ‘well, if he’s not playing, I don’t know how that situation continues to be as it is’.So that’s an obvious one, and there’s maybe one or two others like that, where you can look at and go, ‘well, that probably doesn’t work for the club or the player or the manager or anybody if that one’s not not going in the right direction’.So again, I’ll try to look at all of those ones individually as and when. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.weareterriers.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.weareterriers.comHuddersfield Town’s unbeaten streak now stands at seven games, but not everybody is entirely happy that the past two games both ended in stalemates.The reaction to the Lincoln game was decidedly mixed depending on who you asked, while everyone was left irritated by the Terriers dropping points late on against Exeter — including Lee Grant.So where do we …

Below are selected highlights from Wednesday morning’s press conference. You can find the full audio above or in your We Are Terriers podcast feed.Lee GrantBBC Radio Leeds: I’ll just start with the team news and on the injury situation with Joe Low first?We’re going to give Joe as much time as we can, I think that’s probably what we will do. Obviously, we haven’t got a great deal of time between games, but in terms of making sure we give Joe every chance possible, we’re going to do that. That’s where we’re at with Joe.Everybody else is as it was really.The same as everybody else at this stage of the season, with games thick and fast, we have a few tired bodies, of course, but we’ve just got to make sure we we get the training right and recovery right between games. But yeah, we’re OK.RL: What’s the nature of Joe’s injury?Fatigue, the same as everybody else, and he was tight leading into the game. So like I say, we’ve got to make smart decisions, and we got to see where we’re at with him. We’ve also got to try and take longer term view, as we do with everybody, as well as looking at the here and now. But the here and now for us is really important, so we’ve got to weight all those factors in.RL: Is there any you’re expecting to be back in the next month or so?I’d be disappointed if we don’t have within the next four weeks Mickel Miller fit, Marcus McGuane fit.I’ve said previously, Jack Whatmough’s situation is going to take him longer. It’s been a really challenging period for Jack, so we’re not expecting him back in the next few weeks. Josh Feeney, we should have available to us within the next week to ten days.So we’re heading in the right direction on a few. We’d like to have Herbie Kane ready within the four week period as well.So yeah, there’s a few pushing so we’re we’re doing okay, and there’s a few moving in the right direction.RL: The January transfer window is upon us, or just about upon us as well — are you expecting a busy month?I don’t know it’s probably the best answer, not that I don’t have an idea of what I want to do or where I want it to get to and how I want it to look at the end — I have a very clear idea of that.Myself, Chris [Markham] and Jake [Edwards], we’ve been in conversations for a good while now around how we would like that to play out.But of course, some of it is out of our control, and not all of it is straightforward. That’s probably the two bits I’m being realistic about. So I expect the squad to look slightly different by the time we get to the end of January , but not by loads.So that’s really where I’m at with it. I think there’s room for us to adapt — but I have to say, I’m just as excited about having the boys fit as I am about anything else. So my focus right now really is on everybody that we have in the building, and I’ve been really clear about since the day the window shut in the summer.Everybody that we had in the building is everybody that we wanted in the building. And my focus really is on those, those boys, and our opportunity to keep working and keep moving in the right direction.RL: So as you’re aware, are there any talks ongoing currently?No, no.RL: Outgoings-wise as well, do you expect any activity in that regard?I think we have to be open to it. So that’s that’s where I’m at, and I think we have to be open to it. We have to be open to the fact that with a squad the size that we have, if players aren’t getting the minutes that they want, we’ve got to 1) respect their wishes, and 2) also help those players continue their development, and that is one of the reasons that I’m here, which is to help players develop and be better for the football club.Now, not everyone is going to get the opportunity to do that here for us this season. So as we have done with young Tom Iorpenda…Tom’s best opportunity this year is to be elsewhere (on loan at Notts County), getting loads of minutes and helping his development for the football club and for him personally.So yeah, we have to look at that, and that’s a case by case basis.RL: Leo Castledine is still a player that’s in the forefront of a lot of people’s minds, and the situation regarding him, and speculation surrounding what Chelsea might want to do with him…have you had any more indication as to what the state of play is?No, none, none. And as I said before, I’m really relaxed about that. Anything that’s external to my control, I don’t spend any time worrying about.So it’s all very, very clear for me: Leo is with us, getting exactly what we set out to do, and he set out to do, at the start of the season. So there isn’t even a conversation to be had on that one.Is there a level of it? You’d rather know? Earlier than rather later, though, when it comes to him.… We Are Terriers: As much as you can see the performances have been a lot better and the commitment has been a lot better the past few games, it also looks like the players are enjoying their football a lot more the past few games. Obviously that’s easier when you’re winning but is it important to have in the squad?Yeah, and not just [celebrating goals]. I think if you’re watching really closely, you’re seeing players celebrate blocks. You’re seeing Lee Nicholls put demand on people and give them the respect that’s due when they do the right things in front of him.So all of those bits, they add up, they add up, and they’re adding up right now to what we’ve seen in the past three games for us in particular, which has been really good on both ends of the pitch. There’s a a real hunger and determination to protect and be there for each other on both sides of the coin again, so we’ve got to continue to see that, and that will be really tested up against Lincoln on New Year’s Day. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.weareterriers.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.weareterriers.comHuddersfield Town blew Port Vale away before passing an endurance test against Northampton. Are they now more ready for the bigger challenges ahead in January?There’s yet more love for Bojan Radulovic in particular, obviously, and we discuss how Town could possibly replaced Leo Castledine’s recent contribution if Chelsea decide to move him up a level in…

Below are selected highlights from Tuesday morning’s press conference. You can find the full audio above or in your We Are Terriers podcast feed.Lee GrantKatherine Hannah (BBC Radio Leeds): Really important to get the win at Rotherham Lee — now, equally, I guess, important to be able to follow that up with two games back at the Accu Stadium?Yeah, absolutely. We have to keep searching for our consistency and our level more often, and with such a strong display at the weekend, we want to make sure we back that up going into the next couple for sure.KH: What did you particularly enjoy about the performance at Rotherham that you want to see replicated again against Port Vale?Attention to detail around the defensive habits. We were there for each other, very often, good cover. The line work was excellent. Habits around our individual defending was really good. And I like the feel and the energy that I got from the group in terms of their desire to do all the horrible bits as well.KH: And of course, that’s something that you’ve been calling from from day one. What do you think it was that inspired that away at Rotherham, that perhaps they didn’t deliver for you in previous games?Well, certainly from the group, there’s a hunger and a desire every week. I think probably they’re at the point as a group where they really are putting a lot of demand on themselves as well, and that’s important. So as much as I can be demanding and challenging and ask a lot from them, it has to, once they cross the line, come from a real internal desire, individually, but most importantly collectively, for the group to strive for their for their maximum. I could see lots of that throughout the week, and I think I said it after the game, I was really pleased with how that translated into their work at the weekend.… KH: There’s a lot of talk inevitably about the current form of Leo Castledine being recognised as the talent that he is…inevitably that comes with the fear that, ‘oh no, are Chelsea going to recall him, or is somebody else going to put a bid in to try and take him on a permanent basis?’. Where are you at with Leo going forwards?I’m not anywhere with Leo, apart from I like having Leo here. I love selecting him when he’s fit and long may that continue.KH: Do you have to plan for the possibility that he might move elsewhere in January?No, no, that will be outside of our control if that happens.I would very much hope that Leo would see the value in everything we’re giving him here, in terms of the coaching, the opportunity, and the experience he’s having with us as a football club. So yeah, I feel pretty secure in that.Of course, like I say, everything outside of that is external to my control. So, you know, very difficult for me to have any impact on it.… KH: You may be aware of a video that’s been doing the rounds on social media over the last 24 hours. Marcus Harness and Herbie Kane seem to have some kind of interaction — I don’t know who with, whether it was a fan of Huddersfield or someone else — but what’s gone on there? Are you in a position to tell us any more about that? No, I’m not.KH: Not aware or not able to expand on it?No, I’m absolutely aware, of course.I speak with my players a lot, and conversations I have with the players are detailed, of course, and everything that happens that can affect the group, externally, internally, I always make sure that that’s dealt with very quickly, and those conversations always stay where they where they happen, so that will continue to be the case.We deal with all of that stuff in-house, and the players know my feelings, and the group know my feelings.KH: I appreciate player confidentiality and those conversations remain private, absolutely understandably. Bigger picture, is this the difficulties of doing a high-profile job that and everybody having camera phones these days…how hard is it as a professional footballer to have a life outside of football and for situations like this sometimes to occur?Yeah, I think, Katherine, you’re talking about something that’s wider than like socially now, for young people in general, it’s part of the landscape we live in.Whether you are a high profile athlete, whether you are John from around the corner, there’s always somebody ready and willing to make your life difficult and do that via any means necessary, and obviously, there’s quite a few avenues nowadays, as you mentioned there, with camera phones and photos and the social networks that are readily available to everybody.So yeah, things can escalate to points where perhaps they wouldn’t have done in the past, or perhaps become consumable in terms of things end up in in the spotlight when perhaps they wouldn’t have done [previously].That’s where that’s where the world is, and I think everybody has a responsibility to be able to understand that landscape and to work with within and around it, whatever constraints there are, and everybody has those responsibilities individually, like I say. With regards to our group, they will know my feelings on it really clearly, and they’re all aware of the responsibilities they have as custodians of our principles and everything that the football club stands for. So as I said, that’s all really, really clear in-house, and we’ve got to make sure that we are upholding all of those values and principles as much as we can every single day, regardless of on duty, off duty. That’s all really important for me.… Steven Chicken (We Are Terriers): How’s Leo doing after his his little kick on Saturday?It’s a bit of a difficult one in terms of where he gets it, so they’re always sore, but he’s going to be OK. That’s my feeling right now as we stand.Obviously, we’ve got a couple of days to see how that progresses, but it’s a sore one top of the foot, but nothing at this point where I’ll be really unduly concerned. My hope is that the next couple of days he manages to do the work that’s needed to keep himself in and around it.SC: Are there any other injury updates you can give us either way?We have Will Alves still pushing and working his way back in. Obviously we have some quite strict guidelines from his parent club (Leicester) in terms of how much and how soon we can push so we’ve got to make sure we tick those off.Because of the nature of the injury, it’s a bone injury that really, there is just a certain amount of time for us all to be really certain about that healing process being concluded. So we’re getting close to the end of that block now. These three days of work were really good for Will and after the next couple we should have him close getting him ready for selection.Zeppi [Redmond] is working his way back really well in terms of his fitness. He’s got a bit to do still, but he’s pushing, and he’s training hard, and again, these three days will be important for him.Other than that, Mickel Miller and Marcus McGuane are on the grass at the moment, so that’ll be a nice surprise, I think, for everybody today to have them back in and around it — but they’re right at the beginning of their sort of on-grass and with-team exposure, so we’ve still got a bit to go with them.Bojan RadulovicKH: Obviously, great assist and a really nice goal for you against Rotherham at the weekend. How pleased were you with your performance?Yeah, of course. So glad about the about the performance, not only mine, I think from the whole team, we have shown character. We have shown a lot of things that we are missing, probably, the last few games where we know getting that that win or the performance we we wanted. And I think this game sums everything up. And at the end, of course, we we get good result in a tough, tough game.KH: In terms of those couple of things that were perhaps missing in previous performances. Then can you give me a couple of examples of what you mean?Probably more, I would say, not only defensively, but also in the last third of the pitch. In this game, we were able to score three goals. Of course, we didn’t probably create a lot from from open play or playing the ball, but it was more like playing a simple and direct and of course, yeah, we could have scored probably one or two more goals.But also, I would say defensively, we look much better than the other games, a bit more solid. But yeah, of course, that kind of games, it gives you that mentality that you have to play if you want to get the win on this kind of of of pitch surfaces, or these sorts of games where we needed to get that win.So, yeah, the win was a positive one or for the team that is going to give us that energy and boost for for the upcoming games.KH: Obviously it’s a very busy time of year for you as footballers over the Christmas period, lots of games to contend with. But do you manage to enjoy a bit of Christmas spirit, a bit of Christmas downtime at all?Of course, we all want to to enjoy that, but we also know that we have to play, we have to still work, do our job. So yeah, it’s going to be a bit of both, but always with being smart.But yeah, it’s a nice time to spend with family and friends. Christmas Day, it’s going to be different this year again, because of course, you cannot do a lot of things, because the next day we play on the Boxing Day. So yeah, it’s going to still be special. But with being smart.KH: Have you got family, friends that you’d be able to spend time with, even for a short time on Christmas Day this year?Yeah, my family is coming from Spain, so we’ll be at home on the 25th here. So yeah, it’s going to be a bit busy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.weareterriers.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.weareterriers.comPlaying with a lot more conviction did wonders for Huddersfield Town in their 3-1 victory away at Rotherham.We talk about where the difference was made, how better defending helped Town look more incisive in attack, and why Dave in particular is actually slightly irritated by them being good across the board.Plus, with two games to talk about on each of…

Below are selected highlights from Thursday afternoon’s press conference ahead of Town facing Rotherham on Saturday afternoon. You can find the full audio above or in your We Are Terriers podcast feed.Lee GrantKatherine Hannah (BBC Radio Leeds):to pick up on a couple of the things you talked about after the draw with Wigan. Yeah, one of them was talking, what about a bit of nervousness? And I wonder, how on earth do you start to address that? What can you do as a manager to stop that collective nervousness that you spoke about? You’ve got to be open as a group, that’s for sure, and you’ve got to acknowledge the things that impact the group’s demeanour, how they are. You’ve got to be up front with all those things, so you can’t shy away or shirk from whatever’s impacting the group, whether that be an internal or external source…you have to be able to front that up and acknowledge it before there’s any hope of getting to the other side of it.KH: So how do you affect that?It boils down to first and foremost, the work, and then beyond that, anything else really is just words. So as much as we can acknowledge and as much as we can try to address the things that we think can impact positively or negatively, you have to be able to try and function and work within whatever context or dynamic you’re in. So that has to be the focus.So as much as we can, we remove fog and we give clarity to the group and allow them to focus on their jobs specifically, which gives them the best chance of being able to perform them to the highest level. KH: In terms of that clarity, how do you ensure that it isn’t over complicated? Obviously, they’re intelligent human beings, but sometimes do you just have to go, right, ‘do this, don’t do that’, make it that simple?In some cases, yeah. In some cases you can be very prescriptive about the things you’re looking for, and you can be very prescriptive about the things that you really don’t want to see.So absolutely, that’s formed part of the work we’ve done this week, as it does every week. We always discuss the things and the elements which we want to see, and a lot of that will centre around our principles, and when we’ve been effective, how does it look and how does it feel?I’m really trying to help the help the lads feel the things that they feel when they’re playing well, and recreate the things when it’s looked how we want it to look, and it how it’s felt how they want it to feel. So we spent a lot of time this week making sure it’s that’s been the focus.… Steven Chicken (We Are Terriers): You said, you said, last week, you look back at all the goals you conceded this season. I did the same thing yesterday, and the most common factors, to my eye, seem to be less tactical — it’s more about soft defending — lack of conviction on 50/50s — or playing players switching off of their marking. Does that match your analysis?Yeah, it’s pretty good analysis, mate. I mean, it was really hard to to pinpoint big frailties in structure and shambolic moments of of shape and organisation. It was very much as you said, lots of errors, lots of things that felt preventable in that in the moment. I think some of our recent goals against very much fell into that column.So yeah, we have to be we have to be more resolute, I think, with some of our individual defending and the accountability has to be really high, and concentration has to be really high. And I think we’ve we’ve shown we can do that. So we’ve got to find that level, collectively and individually.SC: With that being the case, is it just part of the manager’s job that you’re the one that ends up taking the flak for it from the fans, or do you see it as part of your job to identify why that’s happening in the players’ minds and and put it right?Yeah, only the second part of that question is relevant — as in, yeah, that’s my job. That’s my job.It’s like, right, if that’s happening, what’s it a symptom of? Is it a symptom of that individual’s psychology? Is it a symptom of a group psychology? Is there a wider issue here? Is there something we’re doing in terms of preparation that’s allowing players to switch off in moments?So we look at all of it and we assess all of that, and take all those things into consideration before we just point a finger and hang somebody out to dry. So we try very much to help the players work through these issues.Of course, we have to highlight things. Of course, players have to understand when there needs to be accountability and responsibility taken, of course.So yeah, it’s all of that. It’s making sure that we, we put the working on the training ground and in the classroom to help the players.SC: Is there any injury news for this weekend?Yeah, we lost Josh Feeney prior to the last fixture with a groin injury. So yeah, that was a real shame for Josh. There’s a bit of a window, so it’s not perfectly clear whether that’s going to be a three week injury or or the upper scale around a five week injury — he’s already 10 days into that.Now, I think he’s progressing really well. He spent the first week or so back with Aston Villa and he was back with us today, so we’ll keep an eye on that and see how he progresses. But like I say, there’s a bit of a window to see how long that ones going to be.SC: Was that the one in first half against Northampton?That one, yeah. And I mean, look, Josh is such a great kid. You ask him every 10 minutes, we’re asking him how that feels, and is he okay? And he’s just constantly giving you a thumbs up, and he’s not looking for a way out, which is obviously credit to him. And thankfully, he didn’t make the injury any worse. But, yeah, it was a nasty action which overstretched his groin.SC: There was no Joe Taylor on Saturday either. Was that just a selection decision?Yeah, just a selection decision. SC: Is there any issue with Joe, or is it just that you had two strikers on plus one on the bench, tactical?Yeah, yeah, just that.SC: And where are we with players coming — Jack Whatmough, Marcus McGuane? Jack Whatmough is not a good cycle of not being able to overcome a certain stage of his recovery, and he’s hit the ceiling on that a few times, and has had to step back from his from his last phase.We seem to have hit the same hurdle again, where Jack gets to the right up to the last week, to four or five days away from being back with me and training, and he hits a similar hurdle. So yeah, not clear with Jack at all in terms of where he’s at, and not likely to be back training with me anytime soon unfortunately.Marcus is slightly different in that we are hoping to have Marcus McGuane back with us in the next couple of weeks. So that’s that’s more positive, but that’s again, been a hell of a lot longer than Marcus or I or anybody would have predicted or wanted, so that’s been a huge frustration. But, yeah, we’re getting closer on on that one.SC: I appreciate it’s probably been the last thing on your mind this week, but we are a couple of weeks away from the January transfer window. Are you able to tell us anything about the club’s intentions moving towards that?Just that we’re in dialogue all of the time, and that dialogue has been ongoing, obviously, for the last couple of months, and will continue to be the same over the next few weeks, heading into what’s going to be an important phase for the football club.It’s that Chris [Markham] now is is on hand to share some of the burden on that and help the club make some really, really good decisions, hopefully, moving forward. So, yeah, nothing to report other than that.Leo CastledineKH: You are top scorer at the moment. Is that a target you set for yourself?Yeah, definitely. I’ve always loved scoring, it’s the best thing in football apart from winning, you know. When I came here, I definitely it was in one of my aims to try to get up as high as possible.KH: As you say, winning is the most important thing. You’ve had these fantastic moments, but has that been slightly tempered by the fact that the overall result hasn’t necessarily come with it at the moment?Yeah, of course. You know, it is tough at times. Like I said, I love scoring and I love helping the team, so it is difficult when, when I try and get myself happy about those things, and results don’t quite go our way. It’s just about finding the balance really.KH: Can you put your finger on why things aren’t clicking at the moment?I think that’s the problem, I don’t think we can really.I think we’re doing the right things, we’re going through the right processes, training every day is good, even preparation going into games is good. I think it’s just…we can’t quite put our finger on on what it is this going wrong in the games.KH: That must be frustrating.Yeah, of course, especially as an attacking player, it is difficult, because I feel like at times we can be providing goals, but at the moment, it’s just we’re letting in too many, that’s our problem. So yeah, it can be frustrating.But then at the same time, we take that on as a team. We don’t just take that on as attack and defence. It starts from the top and then finishes at the end, so it’s a whole team thing.KH: You can’t fail to notice there is a bit of despondency at the moment amongst the fanbase. I think it’s just one of those things, isn’t it? You kind of feel like it’s back on track and then it’s two steps forward, one step back.Yeah, and look, that’s understandable. We get it, we get how that’s happening. The only thing we can say is to just stick with us. We know things aren’t perfect right now, but they never are in football. We know that the fans deserve more, so we can understand the frustration. It’s just sticking with us and and trusting that we’ll get it right.KH: Town fans have never been backwards in coming forwards, and the choice of substitutions with you and Alfie being brought off against Wigan, it can’t escape your notice there were boos at that decision. What’s going through your mind as you walking off the pitch, and you hear

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.weareterriers.comHuddersfield Town fans are not happy with how this season is going at all — and they are right not to be. But where does that leave Lee Grant after the boos and jeers rang down from the stands following Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Wigan?This week’s episode of the We Are Terriers podcast tries to answer that question. Is there any way back for the manager n…

Below are selected highlights from Thursday afternoon’s press conference ahead of Town facing Wigan on Saturday lunchtime. You can find the full audio above or in your We Are Terriers podcast feed.Lee GrantYour task was not made easier by the sickness bug in the camp. How are the few that had it and has anybody else got it?They seem to be okay, and we’ve had a couple of them back on the grass today, which is good. Touch wood, it doesn’t appear like we’ve got anybody else under the weather right now. But obviously we know these things aren’t linear, necessarily, and that, you know, the next 24 hours might change that picture. So let’s just see how we go. We’ve got Lynden [Gooch] back on the grass today. Ruben [Roosken] is a little bit behind Lynden in terms of where they’re both at and their trajectories of when and how long they’ve been ill for, but both moving in the right direction.Same for Rads (Radinio Balker) — he had probably maybe managed to miss out on some of it, because he managed to get himself to the hotel with us and on the trip for Northampton, but certainly wasn’t feeling great and wasn’t involved in a great deal of the preparations because of how he felt, but h’s on the grass today. So again, a positive, And rest of the squad, how are you looking?Yeah, we’re OK. We’re all right. It’s nice, actually, to welcome back a couple of faces as well that we’ve not had with us because they’ve been back with their parent clubs in terms of taking care of their rehab. So Will Alves is back in the building today, which was really good, and Zeppi Redmond the same — back in the building.So it’s great to have them back in and around it, but of course, it’s going to be a little while before we see them back and on the pitch, available for squad selection, but it’s nice to have them back in and around the building.There was a lot of reaction this week, Lee after the draw against Northampton….Alfie May’s name comes up again. What does he need to do to be in contention from the start?Alfie’s doing everything he needs to do right now. The way Alfie’s trained over the last week or so, he’s been excellent, and of course…look, coming out of the team in the fashion he did (getting suspended), Alfie’s frustrated and all of us the same, missing an important player for three three games.That was not ideal, of course, but his response has been good in training. I’ve really enjoyed Alfie in the past week or so. Alfie’s doing the right things in terms of his attitude, in terms of his application, so I don’t have any worries about Alfie and his readiness to step in when required.Sometimes that could be late on in the game, kind of like with four minutes to go, and the criticism will be: ‘Lee, how would you affect a game in that in that time?’Well, it’s up for every player, regardless of whether they start the game, whether they finish the game, during the time they’re given, to give as much impact as they can. Now, I think for any player, having less minutes will always be frustrating. But of course, we always have to weigh up the opposition, the game dynamic, what we feel like we need on the pitch at that specific point in time, and that will always be the case. We’ll always make those calls in the moment with and in relation to who we’re playing and what’s happening at that specific time.Now, as I say, for Alfie specifically, would Alfie prefer more minutes to impact the game than 10 minutes? I’m pretty sure if you ask Alfie, the answer would be yes.Can my reflection be — especially if we don’t get the winner that I expect us to get — can my reflection be with Harry Hindsight, different? Of course, absolutely, absolutely, because we know the qualities Alfie May has.Now, it’s not just Alfie May. So whenever a result doesn’t end in the way that you want it to, or performance doesn’t quite get to the level that you want it to, of course, you have to reflect and always look and say, ‘well, perhaps if we we’ve made this adjustment, or perhaps if the adjustment that we made here at this specific time was was different, would that made a different impact?’ And the answer can be, well, possibly, maybe. But there’s always a reason and a justification for every decision we make in terms of substitution, on the pitch, off the pitch, start the game, finish the game. There’s always a really clear justification. We always make those justifications clear to the players as well.That will always be the case, and like I say, in terms of Alfie and his readiness and what he needs to do: keep working really hard, train the way he’s trained today, which is impeccable, and that leaves him in a great position of when that start comes around.Sean RoughanHave had to be patient for your chance in the side this season - frustrating?Yeah, it’s probably been the toughest part in my career — obviously, it’s still a short career — but it’s been very tough going in day in, day out, training and as a football you want to play games, and I’ve been able to do that over the last month.It’s been tough, but it was good to play against Lincoln, and then again on Tuesday, going forward and get the fitness back up.How do you how do you deal with that mentally if you are not in the side?Look, it’s tough, but you’ve got to look at the bigger picture. Obviously, the manager has a tough job, he has to pick 11 players, and I’m up against Ruben and Ruben has done well, so had to just bide my time a little bit.There’s days where you think you’re hard done by, but I think you’ve got to just remind yourself how lucky are in the position you’re in, because a lot of people would love to be in the position I am. So you’ve kind of just got to remind yourself and try and put a smile on your face and keep going, because there will be times when you’re out of team and times you’re going to be playing, so you’ve got to wait for your moment and jump on it when you can. How do you change what’s been happening, where you have been conceding quite a few goals? Just probably be more aggressive. I put it down to defending like your life depends on it. I think obviously you can’t stop some goals and some goals the opposition team score, sometimes you’ve just got to take your hat off to them.But I think we’ve just got to be more aggressive in and around our own box as a team, just blocking shots, everything that comes our way, that we’re trying to keep it out as much as we can, and we know deflections sometimes go in, but if you’re doing the best possible thing to stop the ball going in the net, then that’s all you can ask for.I think we just showed it against Lincoln when we kept a clean sheet, we showed it against Northampton. Obviously, they scored a decent enough goal, but we just got to probably take that stuff out of it, and just make it so that anything that comes into the box, it’s ours.We can do a lot in a lot of things better, but I thought there was a few things in there [against Northampton] that we can build on. Obviously, the goal we should do better — we defended well as a unit, but there’s a lapse in concentration for the goal, and or we had our chances to probably get the winner. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.weareterriers.com/subscribe

Below are selected highlights from Monday morning’s press conference ahead of Town facing Northampton on Tuesday evening. You can find the full audio above or in your We Are Terriers podcast feed.Lee GrantCan we just start with your team news? How is everyone who was involved in in Cardiff, and can you welcome anyone back for tomorrow? We’re OK. What I would say is that right now, we’re probably in the midst of a big bout of sickness going through the group. We had, obviously Lynden Gooch not able to travel with us and be with the team for the weekend against Cardiff — that was due to illness, and unfortunately, what we’re seeing is that now migrate throughout the rest of the squad. We’ve had two staff members unable to be with us for most of the week last week as well.So look, we’re going to be up against it in terms of the illness and the bug that’s traveling through the group, so we’ll have to really monitor that closely and be careful with how we travel down to Northampton.Is there anyone you can categorically rule out for tomorrow, or is it just let’s see where we’re at?What I would say probably on Lynden is it’s going to be really tough for him, having not eaten a great deal, not trained for a few days, still not feeling 100%, so it’s going to be difficult for Lynden, that’s for sure, for Tuesday.We’ve got a few to manage on that side of it.Between sickness bugs and injuries, it feels like you’ve had a lot thrown at you so far this season.Yeah, look, I can’t deny that we’ve had too many injuries, too many of our senior ones not available often enough, too large a portion of the group injured at one time. And then, of course, now to be hit with a bout of illness in the group is not ideal.But we can survive it. We’ve got a group that we believe in and trust, and we’ve shown that we can find a way through. So we will continue to do that.Just on Cam Ashia as well, he started against Wimbledon, and then he was back on the bench at the weekend. I know he’ll be in contention to start, but just on Cam, how impressed have you been with him this season? Cam’s doing great. He’s doing great. He’s obviously in the early stages of his own development, and what we know is that he can be exciting when given opportunity and time and space, and we want him to continue. I think the aggression he’s shown with his play and the energy and enthusiasm that he has when he comes on to the pitch — and now, we’ve obviously seen his first start — [he can] be really impressive, and even at points in the [Wimbledon] game where we were worried whether he was going to be able to continue, and if his energy or fitness levels might take their toll, but he managed to get through that game really well, and I was really pleased with him.We’ve obviously seen the other side, where it can be not as easy and be more difficult. We know that all of these games are going to be part of Cam’s development.So trying to manage that quite carefully, because what we want to do is keep pushing him, keep challenging him, keep giving him opportunity as well, importantly, because we do want to keep and have him around this first team squad more often than not. What he’s showed is he’s earned the right for that.So we’re really pleased with Cam. We obviously have to manage him carefully as well. When you say assessing where you’re at as a group, where do you feel you are at this stage of the season?The answer to that question is, if I’m being really blunt, we’re at probably where we should be at. (Ed: in the sense of ‘deserve to be at’)Now, what I mean by that, if it sounds a bit black and white — what I mean by that is the league table, which in some respects I try not to pay too much attention to. But it also gives us a good guide as to where we sit, and the balance of this division, what’s been successful in the league, and how we fared against opposition, above and below and around.I’m trying to take into context and into account all of those things right now, because we’re beyond the stage of 10 games, where we’re learning a lot about the group, and we’re trying to profile everybody correctly and understand who’s whose strengths are where. We’re at a point where we’re over a third in, and before you know it, we’ll blink and we’ll be halfway.We have to be really clear about what it is that’s going to help us achieve our goals this year, and I’ve got to be really crystal clear on that, because I’m certainly not willing to let this drift into sixth, seventh, eighth, fifth in the division if my belief is that we can be better. I don’t want to finish fifth in this division. I don’t want to be in and around sixth and fourth and fifth and seventh. I want us to be where I think we can be, what we’ve shown at periods and at points this year, which is really competing in the top four, challenging, pushing, establishing ourselves as a as a dominant force at the top end of this division.That’s my belief, and I want us to get there sooner rather than later. As I say, with halfway rapidly approaching, these are the things that are on my mind currently. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.weareterriers.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.weareterriers.comHuddersfield Town are through to the next round of the Vertu Trophy thanks to a 2-0 victory over Lincoln, but it was an all-too familiar story in the league as Lee Grant’s side fell to a 3-2 defeat away to Cardiff.Just why can’t Town get the job done against top half sides this season? Did the manager’s team selection make things easier than they should…

Below are selected highlights from Thursday afternoon’s press conference ahead of Town facing Cardiff on Saturday afternoon. You can find the full audio above or in your We Are Terriers podcast feed.Lee GrantTeam news - any fresh concerns after after Tuesday?No, all unscathed. I haven’t got to say that very often, so that’s really pleasing.Antony Evans, is there a specific sort of time frame on on him after his scans last week?No, but I think good news in the sense that Antony won’t have to have his injury surgically repaired, so that will reduce the time frame. In terms of an exact date, it’s hard to pinpoint when he’ll be on the grass again, [but] it’s going to be a couple of months, I would imagine, before Antony is back with us.You said at the start the week that Herbie Kane is back running. How much of a milestone is that? And what’s his sort of time frame now looking like?Yeah, it’s really important. I suppose with Herbie, each milestones is important, but it’s one of these injuries where the fact he’s had to have the repair on the groin means that there is no speeding up of his recovery process. It really does need time to heal and everything to knit back together properly.So he’s in a really good place, and what I think we will see with Herbie, with the work that he’s doing in this period, is him hopefully be able to return back to himself quicker, because there’s always that period between being fit and then actually being match fit. So I think the work that he’s doing now putting him in a really good place.How pleased were you to be able to give David Kasumu 70 minutes on Tuesday?It’s really nice. I know he was itching for it as well, and I think probably an important part of that, maybe the most important part is his reaction in terms of his body and how he’s felt since. So that’s a big plus for us.Just what are your reflections on the Lincoln game a few days on?Similar to how I felt post game, really, which was that it was a really, really, incredibly pleasing performance from my perspective.I know the group would have been satisfied with how they went after the game and the result that they got from it, and the rewards.It was a really strong performance, and I think made even sweeter by the fact that Lincoln picked a side to win the game, and having spoken to their manager afterwards and listened to everything they said before it was a tie they wanted to win, and really felt they could. So for us to go there and be so dominant, and I think play in such a controlled fashion, was really pleasing.Personnel wise, how tough has that made your your selection going into this weekend, given that you made those nine changes?It’s ideal, I’ve got to say. We’ve been desperate for the group to be fuller and competitive, that’s what we wanted all along. We certainly had a really nice period at the start, maybe six weeks, seven weeks at the start of the season, where everybody was fit, everybody was pushing and fighting.We’re still not quite back to everybody, but what we have got, as we showed on Tuesday night, is real depth, and people champing at the bit to be back and involved. So that’s great.Does it make my job harder? Absolutely not. I think back to the period where we’re losing 13, 14 players…you can only dream of being in a situation where you can make nine changes for for the Lincoln game still be as strong as we were.So I’m not going to curse my luck on on that fact, I’m going to enjoy perhaps the little bit of tension or sweating that I might have to do this evening around picking the team and be thankful that we’re in a good place.Do you know just yet who your goalkeeper will be at Cardiff?It’s no different to any of the other positions. You’ve got 11 players on the pitch and I’ve got to pick and treat all positions with the same level of care and thought…who are we playing, how are we training, how is each individual psychologically and emotionally, what does the team need this week or next week? All of those things will come into consideration for all the positions.I make my decisions on my team, and the boys will know who’s going out to to start the game, on Friday morning. So that process won’t change.Ben WilesWhat’s the mood like in the place at the minute after Tuesday and some recent wins?Yeah, very good. Obviously, we’re frustrated ourselves because of how well we’re playing, and we’ve not always got the results we wanted. We’ve gone away from [last week’s games], and we’ve done a lot of classroom work in terms of watching back certain kind moves that other teams have done to us, and what we can do better in those. circumstances.But as a general feeling, it’s really good. We can take such positives from it, and that will just drive us in our performances. How much does Lee Grant enjoy coaching you in the classroom when you do have those sort of sessions? How analytical is he as a manager?I think they all are — all the staff and the analysis team do such a good job of painting really good pictures of us and a clear understanding, because on a Saturday, on a Tuesday, you don’t see it in the moment, and then it’s sometimes nice to sit back and look from afar and then think, yeah, that I could have done better there, or that’s not good enough.It’s just a reflection from us all, and I think that’s really important for us as a team. He’s as passionate as he is with us on the pitch, but it’s so important as well for us learning. We’re all still learning, you know, we all don’t know it still. So, yeah, it’s important to us. I think a lot of managers — these days, anyway — will do a lot of classroom work and will do a lot of analysis and reflection on the performances and the opposition teams. I just think it’s kind of a normal thing. But you do feel the passionate side from him a bit more.How big was it to get that clean sheet on Tuesday — it must have been huge for the group?Yeah, it’s another confidence booster we can take into into Saturday. We’ve leaked a few goals that we’re not happy with, so to come away with a clean sheet is putting things right. You can obviously see that things are changing. I know it’s only one game, but what we can take from it, what we’ve watched back, there’s people that are kind of clicking on to what we expect, and people are just putting the bodies on the line now. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.weareterriers.com/subscribe

Lee GrantAny new injury concerns from the weekend?No, I think we’ve come through unscathed, so we’ll have a fit and available squad to choose from, which is obviously helpful. We want to make sure we get the balance right of selecting the team that we think can really go and help us progress.Anyone close to being back in contention?No, I think we’re as we were.Jack Whatmough is progressing nicely. Obviously Antony [Evans] and Mickel [Miller], we know the news on those pair. Marcus McGuane is still working his way back through. Herbie [Kane] is doing OK — it’s nice to see Herbie running as well this week.Does it being a knockout game affect your approach in terms of rotation?For most part, [the Vertu Trophy] it’s been really good in terms of being able to give some air time to some of the group that perhaps haven’t had as much as they would have liked in the weeks leading up to those cup games.That’s been important for us, and we’ve also got to be mindful of the group that worked incredibly hard to get us to this point in this competition as well. We have to balance all areas, really — and of course, the most important area that we’re trying to balance is our desire to progress in the competition. So like I say, we will be fortunate that we’ll have some decisions to make, which is good. But as I said, we’ve really with an eye on going to Lincoln and really giving them a tough evening and progressing into the next part of the competition.Chris Markham has arrived as sporting director. Just want to get your thoughts on how you see working with each other?Firstly, really excited, and secondly, relieved, I’ve got to say, because I’ve got a big neon sign outside my office now with an arrow pointing towards Chris’s door rather than mine, so there’s a lot of stuff heading in his direction that thankfully is no longer landing at my doorstep!But, no in general, I’ve known Chris for a little while, we have some mutual friends within the game. His record at the FA I really liked, his work and his attitude and his outlook from his time at Bolton, I was a fan of.I worked really closely with one of the analysts that worked under him at Bolton, who then came to Ipswich, and was my right-hand man to some extent at Ipswich, and he’s one of the finest analysts I’ve worked with. So I think he’s really capable and he’s got the sort of experience that we need in terms of being able to hit the ground running and understanding of the division and an understanding of the landscape that we’re in — that’s incredibly helpful, for me.I think the biggest part of it is a real a real alignment around ideas and how we see the game. He’s young. He thinks how I think. He wants to work hard and be dynamic, and he’s seen the same process and understands the process that I like to work with and around and in, and is really keen to drive that as well for me.So it’s just a really good fit, if I’m being honest. In all honesty, I have a limited knowledge of the technical director/sporting director world, but that doesn’t mean I had no knowledge. The knowledge that I had was centred around people that I worked with in the past and contacts that I have in the game, and if I’d have had to have picked the attributes I would have liked for someone to come and work alongside me, it’s all the bits that Chris is offering and can offer me.So I’m really pleased that we’ve got that one over the line. And as I say, he’s in and he’s working, and he’s got his head down already, which is great.I think with a sporting director or a director of football, transfers is obviously the thing that everyone always talks about. But there’s more to it behind the scenes, isn’t there? I appreciate it’s very early days, maybe a little bit of finding where you’re at with each other, but what are the things that potentially Chris can can take off your plate?Operationally, definitely. This is a big football club, and I’m really proud to be the manager of it.My role as manager encompasses everything, and means that I have to be across everything: players coming in, players going out, the full spectrum — staff, staffing, medical, sports science, recruitment, the whole nine yards — trying to laser in on the bits that really where I can get the biggest bang for my buck and devote as much time as possible to the bits that I really love and really care about.That’s actually one of Chris’s jobs, being able to help me do that better, and I think he’s got really good experience of that. So being able to put the blinkers on to me when perhaps he needs to, to keep my energy and attention focus where it needs to be — tat’s something that I know that he’s already working away on doing. At a club of this size there’s lots that’s going on that I know that Chris has got really good experience of — so yeah, it’s a big, big help.And presumably, with his background in analytics, he’s another voice that you can go to potentially, isn’t he, if you need him?Yeah, 100%.So look for me, as I said, I work extensively around data and analysis — my analysis department is an extension of my coaching department, and Chris is obviously came through in that world.So we see things very, very similar around that, and that’s a real big help to me in terms of how we continue to shape and grow those departments, and the connection between recruitment and analysis and and technical and medical and sports science. As I say, that’s really invaluable to me. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.weareterriers.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.weareterriers.comThoroughly daft defending was Huddersfield Town’s undoing in their past two games as they lost away to Luton and somehow contrived to draw 3-3 at home to Wimbledon.This particularly in-depth episode of the We Are Terriers podcast looks back on those two games and at least three points dropped for Lee Grant’s side.We talk about Town’s collective failures…

Below are selected highlights from Thursday afternoon’s press conference ahead of Town facing Wimbledon on Saturday afternoon. You can find the full audio above or in your We Are Terriers podcast feed.Lee GrantLet’s start with injury news - can you give us any update on Antony Evans?Yeah, not good. So it’s a similar injury to what he experienced earlier in the season — or pre-season, I should say — so we’re going to be without Antony for a good while. He’s in London seeing the specialists as we speak. In terms of the time frame … it’s going to be months.It’s a real tough one to take for Antony, of course, and for all of us, because we’ve watched him work really, really hard to get himself back in a position where he can come and help us. We’ve had some really good conversations, Antony and I, on specifically that, and he’s been looking forward to being part of this team so much. We’re really feeling it for him as well, so it’s a tough one for us to take Is there in any way you can legislate for that, or is it just really bad luck?It’s incredibly unfortunate to be presented with that sort of action so early on into him being on the pitch in the game.Look, he’s worked really hard to strengthen that area and that that injury specifically, and the injury is to a slightly different part of the ligament, and the old injury was healed and was ready, so the misfortune involved in that is incredible.No Marcus Harness at the weekend either due to suspension, so it feels like you’re missing some really key players this weekend, particularly looking at the midfield. How do you start to approach the best option of getting all the right jigsaw pieces in the right place to be effective against Wimbledon?Yeah, well, there’s no denying that we are, unfortunately, in a position again where best-made plans are out the window and we’ve got five midfielders that we’ve signed to the football club, and not very many of them available or fit. So yeah, we have to adjust.We’ve done that in the past, and we’ve done that through one or two different avenues, and I’ve got my thinking cap on over the next 48 hours in terms of making sure we make the right decisions and making sure that we give ourselves a good opportunity against another tough team to go and do that. We’ve got options. We’ve got players that can adapt, we’ve got [David Kasumu] coming back who will be there or thereabouts. So we’ve got some options.That second Luton goal on Tuesday night is a cumulative thing, there’s lots of players involved in that — but given some of the mistakes he’s made before, obviously the spotlight will fall particularly on Owen Goodman. Do you feel that’s fair? Does he still have your your faith in between the sticks there?I think I’ve been pretty clear about the fact that I feel really comfortable with both my goalkeepers, and Tuesday night doesn’t change that for me at all.I’ve got big faith and trust in Owen and Lee [Nicholls], and despite the fact I don’t want to be a manager that rotates his goalkeeper every other week, I’ve also made it clear to them both that the doors never shut for either of them. I want there to be that challenge and fight for both of them all the time.So I want Owen when he’s playing to to have to play well every week to keep Lee out. I want Lee to be the best trainer and when he gets his opportunity in a cup of competition, or whenever his opportunities come, I want him to play and be at his level. And when Lee’s got the shirt, I want him to be faultless and I want him to keep the shirt forever and a day. That’s how it will continue to be.So look, they both have my trust. Owen has my trust and belief, and the same goes for everybody. So when I pick a team on Saturday with 11 names on it, that 11 has my full trust back in the belief, and should have the trust and backing from everybody that comes to support us.Dion CharlesWe’ll get on to some of the bigger picture stuff in a minute, but just talking personally, how pleased are you with your own form at the moment?Yeah, I’m delighted. As a striker, you pride yourself on scoring goals. I said when I come to this club that I wanted to prove to people what I can do — it just took me a bit longer than what I’d hoped. But I just needed to get that first one, and I said in the interview after I scored my first goal, wait for one, and they all come at once. As long as I’m scoring and helping the team, that’s the main thing.You and Bojan Radulovic seem to be developing this really lovely partnership as well. Why do you think it’s proving so successful?We’ve I think we’ve both got our the bit between our teeth. I’m sure Bojan would have been as frustrated as me from the start of season, perhaps not playing as many games as we want, but I’ve stuck professional, trained as hard as I can day in day out, practiced, and was quietly confident that when given an opportunity, I would take it. That’s something that Lee Grant has talked about. He’s praised you in conversations about your work ethic and determination to just keep your head down and get on with it…that at times must be hard to do when you feel like those opportunities aren’t coming your way?Yeah, it would have been easy to throw my toys out the pram and give up, but I’m in a fortunate position. I’m professional footballer and I’m doing something that people would dream of doing. For me, I’ve said it all along, you can’t take it for granted the position that we’re in, and one thing I’ve always said is that I’ll always give it my best shot, and it won’t be through lack of effort that I don’t get to where I want to, I’ve had to stay patient, and I’m getting my rewards for that.Would it be fair to say this is perhaps the happiest you felt since joining the club? Yeah, definitely. You can see that the fans in recent weeks have sort of got behind me and Bojan and you can you can tell in the performances that we’re putting in.Perhaps fans might not realise it, but they do play a big part in getting behind the lads, and it’s amazing to see the fans chanting your name — that’s what you want. Obviously having your family in the stand, through the really good times and the bad times they hear everything. So now it’s a much better place to come and work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.weareterriers.com/subscribe

Below are selected highlights from Monday morning’s press conference ahead of Town facing Luton on Tuesday night. You can find the full audio above or in your We Are Terriers podcast feed.Lee GrantInjury news?It’s pretty early on still, it’s Monday morning so we’ve still got one or two to assess. We’ve come away in pretty good nick but of course it was challenging conditions and we’re into the stage of the season where we need to be mindful, so we’ll see. It’s nice to get one or two back into it but we have to make sure we keep it that way.There’s one or two that are playing really good minutes currently that are probably doing that for the first time this season — probably more players than I would like, if I’m being really honest - but we’ve just come through a really challenging period for the squad in terms of availability.So we’ve got to be mindful of that going forward, and look at managing people’s minutes and trying to keep as many of them fit and available to us for as long as we possibly can throughout this really busy phase.Players that have filled in for injuries have done wellFrom day one really until this point, I’m always trying to have contact with the players and understand where they’re at in the physical aspect as well as the mental aspect. We’ve had conversations with Bojan and Dion around opportunity, and it’s of course a readiness to take an opportunity when it arrives, and it’s great that they’ve both grabbed that and are running with it currently.There was definitely some frustration in there for Dion in terms of his own level, but at no point did he waiver at all in terms of his desire to be back to his own level and where he wants to be, and he has trust in the group and where we want to be this year. That was really refreshing for because he could have gone the other way, but he’s really stuck at it.Bojan is a little bit different because he’s had to contend with knocks and one or two disruptions in pre-season for various reasons, but the rewards for his work have paid off. It’s no surprise he’s hit his stride and it’s a great example for the group in terms of rewards.For Radinio, who has had to be really patient, going away with his international side has probably been helpful really. It’s disrupted in some respects, but it’s really nice to see him hit his stride and do the things he does more often than not and really showcase his talents.I’m thankful to have big decisions to make on who’s starting, who’s on the bench. Not having those decisions to make has affected us. Thankfully we’re in a position now where players are coming back, the squad is looking fuller, and we’ve got some decisions to make…though I’m not looking forward to those decisions.We can’t get carried away with thinking we can play same team every game when we’re in the middle of seven games in 22 days — I think we all know that’s not going to happen.Important and tough run of gamesWe’re into the phase of clocks going back and games finishing in the dark now and weather conditions…it does require a different kind of mentality.Coincidentally, that’s led to a different sort of phase for us as a squad as well. We’ve got bodies coming back and a rejuvenated attitude from results either side of the international break.We know this is an important period and we just need to take that on now. We know the next challenge is coming around quickly and we head into what’s going to be another challenging fixture.Sustaining a high performance level, the energy we’re showing, consistency in our mentality…that’s really top of our agenda. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.weareterriers.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.weareterriers.comThis week’s We Are Terriers podcast is rather chipper again after witnessing a fine performance away to Mansfield.There’s a lot of love for that man Bojan Radulovic after his goal-and-two-assists performance, but he’s far from the only player to come in for praise after a real team performance secured an important 3-1 victory to kick off a hectic run of…