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Match Previews

TWO FORMER SCHOLARS TAKE COACHING PATH

6 November 2020

Academy Coaching duo discuss transition into roles

- George Danaher and Oran Thompson talk through their roles
- Young Terriers aiming to replicate First Team
- U17s host Blackpool on Saturday 7 November

After progression through Town’s Academy system, potential was seen in George Danaher and Oran Thompson, and both were offered the chance to help develop the next generation of Young Terriers.

While George started his coaching role at Town’s Academy at the start of last season, Oran began his role ahead of this season. They’ve both linked up with Jon Worthington to help integrate and develop young scholars at the Club. Their roles see them provide individualised progression programmes for players and run sessions to improve certain specifics of each players game.

Speaking to htafc.com, Oran admitted that while his transition into coaching has certainly been different to what he’s used to, being a former Academy player has its benefits.

“I think it’s good that we’re there for the players, because we’ve been through what they’ve been through, so we can help them with anything that they’re finding difficult on and off the pitch.

“They might feel more comfortable coming to us about it because we’ve been in their shoes more recently, so we’re able to build strong relationships with them and get a real connection with them.

“Obviously I’ve only made the transitions this year, but having George here as well has really helped me.”

George was quick to admit that he’s grateful to the Club for seeing potential in him when they didn’t offer him a professional playing contract, and for the opportunities they’ve given him since he took up the role.

“First and foremost, the opportunity to come and work here is one that you probably wouldn’t get anywhere else.

“To get your foot in the door at a professional club, especially in the Championship, as a 20-year-old is remarkable, I’m incredibly grateful to the Club for being brave and trusting us both.

“The Club let us have one day off a week to commit to some form of education. Oran’s on the same course as me that I did last year, a college course, and I’ve just started a university degree that the Club allow me time off each week to crack on with that.

“The Club have been great in giving us the opportunity to work here, but also the opportunity to carry on with our education.”

Huddersfield Town’s Under-17s host Blackpool’s Academy on Saturday 7 November in the Central League Cup, and Oran talked about how they’ve been preparing.

“Blackpool are quite a physical team, so we’ve seen their style of play and gone through a few scenarios that the players might come up against.

“We’ve gone into some detail around some individual battles that could be key in helping us have a good performance."

“We’ve been trying to replicate what the First Team have been doing on the pitch to filter that down for our players. That’s been the real focus for us for the past two to three weeks,” George added.

“The impact that the Academy players are now having on the First Team has been fantastic this year and went to continue to replicate that.

“The approach that the Club want to go down has been excellent for the Academy players to impact the First Team.”

You can follow live match updates from the game on the Academy Twitter, @htafcacademy.

Match Reports

UNDER-17S WORK ON FIGHT ZONES IN BLACKPOOL DRAW

9 November 2020

Training work paying off in game for the Young Terriers

- Huddersfield Town Under-17s work on fight zones against Blackpool
- Goals from Conor Falls, Ernaldo Krasniqi and Myles Bright in 3-3 draw
- Oran Thompson happy with mixture of positives and lessons to take from the game

Huddersfield Town’s Under-17s were pegged back late on as they drew to Blackpool on Saturday, although there was a good mixture of positives and lessons to take from the match for the Young Terriers.

The visitors provided a tough, physical test throughout the match; however, it was the Young Terriers who came out on top in the first half.

Working on their fight zones, they won the ball back in midfield and, using their work the on attacking phases earlier in the season, inflicted a swift counter-attack and had the ball in the back of the net in a matter of seconds, with Conor Falls getting the final touch.

Then shortly after the break, they managed to increase their lead to three thanks to Ernaldo Krasniqi from close range and Myles Bright with a brilliant solo effort. The goals came just a matter of minutes apart, with the whole side showing great intensity and awareness to keep their opponents penned in.

However, the lead began to slip away when Blackpool won and converted a penalty on the hour mark. The visitors pressed on as the clock ran down, and despite matching their opponents for the majority of the game, the Young Terriers conceded twice more in the final minutes.

And after the match, Under-17s Coach Oran Thompson believed that the Young Terriers had a good balance of positives and learning points to take from the game.

“There’s certainly a lot of positives, we knew they’d be a physical side, we started well and did well to win our individual battles in the first half,” he said.

“Conor’s goal in the first half was really pleasing to see. It’s something we’ve worked on, the pressing side of the game and we’re currently covering fight zones, so to win the ball back in the area they did with the surprise pressing and to go on and take the chance was something we’ve been working on, so I was really happy to see that today.

“Then to carry on at the start of the second half, the players went back out there engaged and proactive, and got two more goals to show for it.

“It’s a big point we’ve been making recently, especially in the fight zone, they have to be engaged in the game and be ready when the transition occurs, and the attackers were when they got those goals, reacting quickly in dangerous areas.

“The biggest lesson they can learn the way the game ended was concentration. When they’re getting tired can they concentrate that little bit more, can they keep the structure and maintain their decision making, managing the game, so it’s a learning curve for them. It was a great entertaining game but there’s a couple of little mistakes we can look back at and help the lads improve.”

The next test for the Young Terriers will be on Saturday, when they host Fleetwood Town in the Youth Alliance Cup!

Town’s Under-17 Team (4-3-3)

Nicholas Bilokapic; Luke Daley, David Adewoju, Josh Okpolokpo, Brodie Spencer; Ernaldo Krasniqi (Sonny Whittingham, 87’), Darnel Baxter-Alleyne, Myles Bright ©; Donay O’Brien-Brady, Conor Falls, Gulutte Zunda (Charles Nduwuisi-Ondo, 24’)

Unused subs

Evander Grubb, Shane Maroodza, Michael Stone

Scorers

Conor Falls 32’, Ernaldo Krasniqi 54’, Myles Bright 56’

Final score

Huddersfield Town Under-17s 3-3 Blackpool