Huddersfield Town have arrived in Austria for their nine-day pre-season trip to Austria. The club have been keen to emphasise this trip to a spa resort will not be particularly relaxing for the playing staff that are out in the Austrian mountains, as they will be subjecting to a gruelling routine of double training sessions and psychological torment* (*they didn’t actually mention anything about psychological torment, I just inferred that from the context of the article).
Michael Duff has made some ruthless decisions in selecting his 27-man squad to take to Austria. In doing so, it’s the first clear indication of which players have impressed him so far in preseason and which ones are unlikely to be in his plans for the coming season. In this article, I’m going to dig a bit deeper into who are the winners and losers from the Austria trip squad selection.
The squad currently in Austria
It’s probably best to give a quick summary of which players are in Austria before digging in too deeply to who is lucky to be on the trip and which players have missed a seat on the plane. So here’s the full squad list:
- Jacob Chapman
- Antony Evans
- Kian Harratt
- Jaheim Headley
- Rhys Healey
- Michał Helik
- Neo Eccleston
- Jonathan Hogg
- Ben Jackson
- Pat Jones
- Herbie Kane
- David Kasumu
- Tom Iorpenda
- Josh Koroma
- Tom Lees
- Chris Maxwell
- Mickel Miller
- Lee Nicholls
- Matty Pearson
- Josh Ruffels
- Francis Hurl
- Lasse Sorensen
- Brodie Spencer
- Sorba Thomas
- Ollie Turton
- Danny Ward,
- Ben Wiles
Who is lucky to have made it to Austria?
There may be a few names on the list of players that many Town fans are unfamiliar with, particularly if you’ve not been following the recent friendlies closely or aren’t familiar with the B Team players. So here’s who I think is a little fortunate to have made it onto the trip:
Francis Hurl – I’ve not heard of Francis before but apparently he’s a youth team goalkeeper. WIth a name like that, you have to assume he prefers to throw rather than kick the ball out. England had three keepers in their Euros squad this summer but also took Tom Heaton as a fourth keeper to help them in training so they could have four proper keepers for drills. I suspect that’s why this young stopper has made it onto the plane.
Kian Harratt – There are obviously two sides to Harratt as he’s been in very public bother twice for different offences but has also received high praise from different managers for being a hard-working lad who’s dedicated to his craft. So despite many feeling he should have been bombed out of the squad after his gambling ban, he may have worked his way into Duff’s good graces on the training pitch. His physical size and finishing ability gives him something a bit different to the other strikers we have too.
Neo Eccleston – A very impressive run out at Harrogate may have tipped the scales in this young man’s favour. He played as a right-sided central defender but somehow still managed to be one of the most attacking players for us with his dynamic runs forward. He is most likely to feature at right wingback in the future but one to watch, could become Lasse Sorensen’s understudy for this season if he keeps up his good performances.
Ben Jackson – As the third-choice left wingback, I think Ben Jackson is going into this season with a lot to prove. The fact he’s genuinely two-footed, so can cover both flanks and can strike the ball beautifully at times probably stands him in good stead. I’m pleased he’s been given this chance though, as he spoke out publicly about the mental toll last season took on him and how he’s struggled. I’d like to see him given every chance to play himself back into form. Then if it’s looking like he won’t get minutes with us it might be that we can find him a loan move where he can play at a different club.
Tom Iorpenda – Big things were promised about this academy lad and he made the bench regularly last season but rarely got more than a couple of minutes on the pitch. But he’s featured regularly in preseason and looks very classy, comfortable on the ball, mobile, intelligent and with technical ability. I can see him filling in for Kane and Evans a fair bit this season.
Tom Lees – Obviously we’ve all heard of Tom Lees but he’s not yet played a minute of preseason for the first team but he’s obviously now recovered enough from his ligament injury to be part of the trip and may feature in some friendly games too. A timely return given we just lost Radinio Balker to a broken ankle until at least early next year.
Who is unlucky to have not made it to Austria?
There will be a few Town players that are currently unpacking their suitcases and setting up for a miserable week and a bit at canalside while they settle for watching social media updates of their mates having a great time in Austria. Like when your friends are having a party and you’re not invited. Here’s who I think may feel a bit snubbed by their lack of an invite to this Austrian trip:
Bojan Radulovic – This is the clearest indication yet that Radulovic isn’t just taking a bit of time to settle and is in fact just a bad signing. There’s still a chance for him to come good but I suspect that Michael Duff has seen enough of him in training to decide that he doesn’t want him stinking out the training camp, so has left him back at Canalside. It could be an injury or we may be negotiating an exit for him but my guess is that it’s just down to him not being in the plans as he only made it on against Harrogate as a sub last weekend.
Loick Ayina – He played in the B Team’s game yesterday but after featuring in many of the first team’s friendlies so far, he probably thought he was part of the main group. He did look a little bit clumsy on the ball at times last weekend, and made an error in the build up to Harrogate’s opening goal. He’s probably a victim of the change in styles of football, as he’d be more suited to the way we played last season but now the defenders are expected to play more football.
Scott High – After looking like he was going to be able to establish himself as a cultured but slightly lightweight midfielder at Championship level when he first broke into Town’s team, High has never kicked on and has, in fact, regressed from his early promise and struggled to find regular game time. I’m not sure what his level is but it seems clear Michael Duff has had a look at him and doesn’t fancy him.
Tyreece Simpson – His physical attributes would make him an imposing presence if they were paired up with technical skills that made him good enough for football at this level. Sadly, he’s not been able to score consistently on any of his loan spells in the football league so it’s hard to see how he’s magically going to transform into a goalscorer for us. I can see why he’s not in contention.
Kyle Hudlin – Hudlin is another failed striker experiment for Town. Looking at this section they’re starting to pile up a bit. It’s getting a bit embarrassing. He did get a place on the bench for the B Team yesterday though, so he’s around and not injured.
Kieran Philips – Not another one! Well, I suppose he technically is another failed experiment in terms of strikers we hoped would be good enough but haven’t been but he’s presently having a very nice time in Sacramento playing for our sister club. Up the Sac! (p.s. Do they need another three strikers that we could do with offloading from our wage bill?)
Michael Stone – I don’t watch the B Team play often but I watched him play the final half an hour of the Emley friendly and was very impressed with how he imposed himself on the midfield. He looked like he may be ready to step up into men’s football from the B Team but I suppose with Iorpenda already making his first steps into the first team in the same position, he’s most likely not going to get a huge number of minutes so isn’t currently in contention. I hope he’s sent out on loan to gain experience though as I can see him being one for the future based on the short bit of football I’ve seen him play.
UPDATE – Josh Austerfield –Thanks to HTAFC Statto for pointing out that this guy also hasn’t made it on the trip. After a few decent loans out at Harrogate, the midfielder may have thought Town’s drop to League One would give him a chance to get minutes in the first team. His omission from the squad suggests another loan move is on the cards instead.
Nobody is about to be sold immediately
The final point to add is that all the players that are most likely to be sold for a profit this summer (off the top of my head: Nicholls, Helik, Thomas and Spencer) are currently in Austria. While this doesn’t mean their agents can’t be furiously hawking them around every club they can think of, it does mean that nobody is going to leave in the next day or two. Given the current size of the squad and the fact we probably need a few players to come in, we have to expect some players to leave at some stage but which ones and when they will leave are still unknowns. We’ll have to wait and see.
Thank you, TS. Informative and analytical as ever.
When you look at that list of ‘missing strikers’, it really ought to cause some red faces to the recruitment team. Some truly dreadful signings. How Ipswich managed to offload Simpson onto us is a real head-scratcher. He was injured when he came to Town – what’s the point of a medical? – and so wasn’t even in the reckoning for the first 6 months; we paid about £500,000 for the privilege, we waited for the big unveiling; and……and…..and nothing.
It’s that striker position that is still the big unknown. If Duff was picking his team today for that first league match, who would be in pole position? Maybe there’s a further signing round the corner?
Thanks Simon. The rumoured fee for Simpson looks crazy now, in retrospect. We may be saying similar about Radulovic if his current trajectory continues but there’s a glimmer of hope for him yet as he’s only been here since January and prior to being at Town scored goals in the Europa Conference for his old club.
In theory Healey, Ward, Harratt and Koroma are four viable options up front for Town for the coming season with Pat Jones as something a bit different for that area of the pitch too. In reality, Healey is the only one that feels likely to score regularly and that’s only if he keeps fit. So I think a proven goalscorer should be at the top of the shopping list. Though what club doesn’t want one of those? I certainly can’t think of a single recent transfer window that Town fans weren’t crying out for us to sign a new striker. After missing out on Alfie May, I’m hoping we’ve got something up our sleeve in the next week or two.
Todays game .Defence and goal keeper look weak areas , with those players playing in these positions .Opposition hard to judge , although they countered quick and used the long ball to good effect . Very good header by hoggy . Lees rusty coming back from injury . liked Millers direct effective play . interesting to see the next 2 teams , Town play . Hopefully better defending , specially to the counter attack play . U T T
Is he going to buy anymore players ?
Hopefully but I’ve no idea I’m afraid.
Judging from Lee Nichols performance at Harrogate , looks like he will leave . Spencer & Helik staying at Town, would be a massive bonus in this league . Thomas to leave for the correct fee . More signings required i feel .
Why have we not bought hodge from wolves ?
I don’t have any inside info I’m afraid but the rumours were that it’s all but a done deal. Steven Chicken said on his podcast that he might stay in England after he signs though.
Huddersfield require a few premier league loan players for the season. Also we are in the dark
Over further first team players being Sold. Thomas, Helik for example . The Austria 🇦🇹 trip will show Duff , we’re we are at this stage in building the squad up to compete at the top end of league 1.
I don’t think there are any secrets about player sales. The club have specific valuations for players and they can’t leave until they are met. So far Rudoni is the only one who has had his value met with a bid. I expect more will follow but probably not until other clubs get a bit more desperate towards the end of the window.
I agree about Premier League loans. That market is similar to what I was saying about our player sales. They tend to go towards the end of the transfer window when Premier League know which players they’re happy to let go.
Why have we not bought that hodge from wolves
Find it strange Hodge, if Town sign him for a season loan , will not be flown out to Austria ?
Surly this would be the ideal workout for him, plus to integrate into the squad quicker.
I agree. But on Steven Chicken’s podcast he suggested new signings might not travel out. It could literally be down to available hotel rooms. In which case, if we sell a player then new signs may be flown out.
If Hodge is to sign for Huddersfield on a season loan , why wouldn’t he be flown out to Austria 🇦🇹 football camp , to receive match fitness and integrate him into the first team squad.
Sorry your earlier comment didn’t publish straight away. First time commenters go into a holding pen for some reason. Your future comments will publish straight away now you’ve had one approved.
Our defence going to let us down again inconsistency and lack of pace, Pearson played out of his skin under Warnock. He will never reach them heights again. Turton a bit better but too slow if we relying on them we will loose more games than we will win this season.
Bojan Radulovic- we signed him in there close season, he may not have travelled but we still need him and should give him a year, he is still 24, unproven in this league and a threat too..
There is a case for Bojan to at least make Towns first team squad. Young ,time on side .
There again Duff and his team see the players each day training. So maybe not physically up to the Championship. Although we are now in league 1 . Case to be made ?
To be honest I think Bojan is on a different and higher wavelength to most of our players. He maybe too cultured for Duff. Timing of purchasing him not helped by inactivity due to Finnish season ending in October. Could also be homesick. Not sure I buy the soft Serb line.
I would have liked to see more of Hudlin. He only seems to have had cameo appearances when we were already losing and in a very bad team. He does not appear to be a great header of the ball but his hold up play is good, has good feet and his physical size always makes him a handful, especially useful in this league. He would be a great foil for Healey.
no Lee Nichols,he was poor against Harrogate i thought,surely Danny Ward is not our main threat,as usual works hard but,that is a given.Eccleston was very impressive at Harrogate