Michael Duff makes important updateto any players who dissent with his plan for League One

ON JUNE 24, when Huddersfield Town players resume preseason training, Michael Duff will be closely observing.
The new Terriers head coach has been hard at work learning everything he can about the players he will inherit, but in the end, he will use his own eyes to make his own decisions about who he believes will be a part of the team’s adventure in 2024–25.

He will be mostly influenced by his own first-hand observations rather than by phone discussions he has with them prior to their reunion in late June.

Luckily, Duff has experience in this situation, having realigned and rejuvenated a demoralized team following relegation at Barnsley.

That wasn’t easy, and he’ll be prepared for whatever Town throws at him.

“I think you are always on high alert when you walk into any football club,” Duff remarked. “You want to make your own assessments and gather as much information as you can, and you don’t want to be influenced by other people’s opinions.”

“You should observe the participants to find out their true desires. Talk is cheap; you can speak with a player on the phone and he might say anything you want. After you get off the phone, you can speak with his agent and tell him, “I didn’t mean a word of that.”

From the first day of preseason, Duff anticipates that it won’t take long to determine who actually wants to remain at the club and who doesn’t, but he also has a warning for those who plan to go as soon as possible.

In his brief tenure with the team, his predecessor Andre Breitenreiter harshly criticized the behavior of some anonymous players.

“It’s who wants to be here and who doesn’t, and who we think can move forward with us,” the town leader continued.

However, it goes beyond a player stating, “Well, I don’t want to be here; you have to sell me.” That is not true.

“At my profession, we’re always on high alert because the minute you don’t, you’re out the door rather quickly. It just dawned on me.

“That understanding must also be understood by the (current) players. It’s not realistic to assume that you will enter the league and win it.”