Youngster spoke ahead of U17s game against Scunthorpe United
- Donay O’Brien-Brady seeing benefits of positional change
- Youngster on his most recent performance for Young Terriers
- Under-17s are back in action on Saturday 6 March 2021
Huddersfield Town Under-17s winger Donay O’Brien-Brady is feeling the benefits of his recent positional change as he continues his development with Town’s Academy.
The Young Terrier, who has been mostly deployed as a winger throughout the season, has recently been tested by being used as a left-back.
Under-17s Coach George Danaher and the Academy staff are helping O’Brien-Brady to improve his speed, develop his reactions and increase his physicality, and the winger certainly feels his mentors and his recent move to defence have certainly helped him with those aims.
“Playing a new position is definitely helping me,” he said.
“I’m getting faster as was intended and I’m seeing new things in the game I didn’t before, plus playing left-back obviously means I’m getting a physical challenge. It’ll all help me for when I move back to my usual position.
“George and the staff have been really good. They’ve given me tips and advice – and it helps that they’ve been through what I’m going through now.
“They’re really supportive. We go through our games all the time, give me good feedback and points to work on for the next one.”
The 17-year-old was involved in both of the Young Terriers’ recent Clarets Cup and Youth Alliance Cup wins against Barnsley and Walsall, where they have managed to score an impressive 13 goals across both matches.
He went on to explain how winning performance matches, where Danaher and the coaches put extra pressure on coming away with a victory, has helped boost the confidence of the Under-17s massively.
“It was really good from the start from all of us, I feel I got off to a good one.
“I was really engaged in the game, we got the first goal and built from there - we were really clinical.
“Scoring that many goals boosts the confidence massively, George has told us we’ve got to keep our heads straight, score a goal so we can build from there and another will come, then another like against Barnsley and Walsall. We can’t get carried away with just one, we have to keep scoring.”
O’Brien-Brady hopes to build on these recent positives by continuing his good form with the Under-17s and pushing up through the Academy ranks.
“I hope the team keeps winning more games, and for myself I hope I can keep playing, improving with every game and progress up the ranks towards the Under-19s and the B Team with the overall aim of getting closer to the First Team.”
Donay and his Under-17s teammates are back in action on Saturday (6 March 2021) when they host Walsall at Canalside.
You can keep up to date with all things Academy related on their official Twitter page; @htafcacademy.
