We are not a parachute team

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Danny Schofield and Vincent Kompany will be in charge of Huddersfield Town and Burnley for the first time tonight when the teams meet at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Schofield’s appointment was more recent even than Kompany’s. He replaced Carlos Corberán on 7^th July and is currently the most recent appointment in any of the top four divisions of English football.

Embed from Getty ImagesHe held his first pre-match press conference yesterday and said: “Whoever the game is against, the first game of the season is always the biggest game. Burnley have come down and have a high profile manager, but we’re focused on what we do. On the pitch is what I can control, getting the team to perform in games. We want to epitomise the Terrier Spirit, be aggressive, be on the front foot.”

Like us, Huddersfield are expected to adopt a new style of play. Schofield said: “Whatever style of play you have there’s fundamentals. You need to be competitive, be aggressive and win your duels both individually and as a unit. We want to focus a lot on position play and trying to attack the box in numbers, but staying solid against counter-attacks.

“We’ve tried a few new things in pre-season, and we’ve got some good new players in the door who we’re happy with. I’m very process driven, so I’m not focused on the end result, though hopefully that comes as part of the process.”

He added: “Having been here as a player I know what the fans demand, and I’m a Yorkshireman, so I know what values we have as well. It’s hard work, it’s commitment. You need to have those qualities and build on them before anything else. Whatever challenges and obstacles come, you’ve just got to face it and climb over them together, and that’s what we’re going to try to do all season. The strength behind it all is the unity of the players.”

Embed from Getty ImagesA smiling Kompany told the media at Gawthorpe two days ago: “I’m naturally in a good mood because I’m a positive person but I’m looking forward to the start of the season and to being in the Championship with this team. There’s loads of reasons to be positive for us. The biggest thing we’ve seen as coaches is just purely the application of the team. I mention the words togetherness and hard work and they’re what have always been associated with Burnley Football Club. That will remain and on that side of it, we’ve ticked the boxes quite nicely. In terms of performances, we’ll build from Friday. We are not a parachute team but you don’t have to be to be successful.”

Kompany is new to the Championship with all of his time in England having been in the Premier League at Manchester City, but he acknowledged: “The more I get to know the league, the more I’ll know but what I already know is that we will go there with a team to compete, try to win the game, and see how we can measure ourselves against one of the best teams in the league.

“We’ve got Luton, who were in the play-offs, Huddersfield, who were as well, and Watford, who were in the Premier League last season. Within three games we’ll get to see where we’re at against some of the best teams in the league. Those three games all happen within the transfer window, so it’s good for us to see that and assess. If we win the three, we’re alright. If we’re going the other way, it gives us the chance to make some even more informed decisions.”

We all want a good start but he had a warning: “It’s always important (to start well) and I’ve never heard a manager say, “Let’s start off bad the build it from there’, so I’m along the same lines. I want to start strong, but I think we’re in a bit of a different period than other clubs. We’re turning over a lot of players at the moment, players coming in and others leaving, so my priority is to try and get points early doors to then benefit later on in the season from when the lads come together as a group.”

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