Fabrice Muamba comes to PPG Canalside to speak to Young Terriers
- Town’s Elite Development Team faces Oxford United on Saturday
- Fabrice Muamba speak to youngsters on behalf of the PFA
- Young Terriers work on quality in final third
Huddersfield Town’s Academy players have been learning both on and off the pitch following a talk from Fabrice Muamba.
The PFA’s Delegate Liaison Executive and former Arsenal and Bolton Wanderers midfielder came to Town’s PPG Canalside Training Ground to speak to the Young Terriers about how to make the most out of their careers and how the PFA can help them.
Town’s Under-19s and Elite Development Team Coach, Mark Hudson has spoke to Fabrice outside of football on a number of occasions and was keen for him to come in and tell his story.
“He works for the PFA and we thought it was important for the new group and the current lads that are still here that they are aware of the support they can get from the PFA, alongside that he has a story to tell too.
“He came in, had a chat, and the stories he told are meaningful and very poignant. He described his upbringing, how he came up into football, the hard work he had to do that supported the message we are delivering; it went really well.
“First and foremost, the message was to work hard every day because you don’t know what’s around the corner.
“He said when he came to Arsenal he knew he wasn’t technically gifted, but if he knew he ran past people, worked harder and was in every day then that would stand him out. I think that’s a good message to deliver because we tell them that every day.”
Mark Hudson’s young group have been taking part in a bespoke games programme organised by the Town Academy to give the youngsters a variety of different tests.
The latest being the match against Oxford United at Abingdon United FC (OX14 1PL) on Saturday 1 September 2018; 11.30am kick-off.
“We’ve played a variety of games, different teams and that brings different challenges,” said Hudson.
“We are going to play an Oxford B team against our side that’ll be predominantly made up of our Under-19s and it’ll be a good test again.
“The games programme is working for us and giving us great exposure to different types of football.”
Hudson, who worked closely with Head Coach David Wagner after retiring from professional football, explained to htafc.com that the youngsters try to mirror the same style of the First Team.
In doing so, ‘Huddy’ explained the system the Young Terriers will play against Oxford United.
“We are going to try something different against Oxford; to use our wide men more.
“To do that we want to keep a narrow shape in the middle part of the team, then as we get higher up the pitch, we want to get our wingers wide and our full-backs slightly tucked in, so the ball gets served out to the wide men and they are one vs one.
“We’ve been working on it bit by bit, crossing and attacking so hopefully we can get it out wide and get it in the box as well.
“We will always try to work up to the game and give them something new to work on, so in this case that’s full-back and winger relationships with crossing.
“Then working on people getting into the box, not just strikers but getting midfielders to release and go.
“We’ll work on defence phases as well, so it’s good to give them certain things to focus and work on each week.”
