Huddersfield Town B Team Manager Jon Worthington reflects on two matches in as many days
- Leicester City 1-4 Huddersfield Town B
- Wrexham 3-1 Huddersfield Town B
- Comments from B Team Manager Jon Worthington
Following two fixtures in as many days for the B Team with trips to Wrexham and Leicester City, Manager Jon Worthington reflected on both matches and what was learned from each.
Having divided the group between the fixtures, a much younger side – supplemented heavily by Under 19 players – made the trip to face Wrexham, performing admirably against a vastly more experienced side.
Discussing the game, Worthy said:
“We split the squad up and they were supported by quite few of the Under 19s. It was a good opportunity for them in the Wrexham game - against a strong and experienced Wrexham side.
“It’s different to the types of games that they normally get through the Youth Alliance. I thought there were a lot of positive individual and collective performances to take away.
“The challenge becomes a lot higher playing against experience players, first team players and I think that’s when it is a real challenge in terms of where they’re at.
“It’s about getting the opportunity and taking the opportunity and I think predominately that’s what most of them did in the game.
“It gives them confidence, that’s what it’s about. Football is about taking opportunity when they come and showing you can compete against what level you’re playing at.”
1️⃣, 2️⃣, 3️⃣, 4️⃣ goals on the road for our B Team at Leicester City yesterday afternoon 🙌
— HTAFC Academy (@htafcacademy) April 6, 2023
Great performance, boys 👏#YoungTerriers | #htafc pic.twitter.com/kXzYc3VoI8
With a much more familiar B Team group then heading to the Midlands to take on Leicester City, the Young Terriers were excellent from start to finish as they ran out 4-1 winners on the day. Happy with what he saw, Worthington admitted:
“I was really pleased with the performance. As a team performance, it was right up there with some of the standout performances of this season. More as a collective, I think they made really good decisions, and they were really effective throughout the game.
“The facilities are unbelievable at Leicester, it’s a fantastic set up. They’re obviously struggling in the Premier League but they’re a well-structured academy.
“I think the lads rose to those occasions and showed that they can more than compete with Category 1 academies.
“When we go there we want to show what we’re about as a Club and that was positive when we were there.”
Having seen the vast majority of Town Academy players tested this week in two strong outings, Worthington then spoke on the progression of the Academy as a whole this season, saying:
“I think a number of the lads have done extremely well when they’ve been around the First Team. Again, it is about opportunity. When an opportunity comes, they have to take that and predominantly a lot of them have.
“The players need to be consistent in training, being professional and when they get opportunities to play - whether that be in the B Team or the First Team. They become accountable for themselves.
“I think we, as an Academy, have our objectives but ultimately you’re judged on developing players. Are players improving? are they getting better whilst they are in the building and are you getting players in and around the First Team squad?
“I think stats, appearances and the minutes will all align that we’re going in the right direction. We’re making good progress.
“Our model is different - yes, we want to win games and the team performances are very important – but everything we do is around the individual and developing the individual. Hopefully they have a career at Huddersfield Town and if not somewhere else in the professional game.”
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Twitter – @htafcacademy
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