Birmingham City v Huddersfield Town: Carlos Corberan on message with Terriers

Their technical and tactical intelligence is another facet which should assume importance. Corberan’s side have smart and committed players out on the pitch and several of their senior players seem to possess the capacity to be future managers or coaches.

At the very least, they are a positive representation of head coach Corberan and his work out on the field.

Asked on his thoughts as to whether any of his outstanding group of experienced professionals will step up to the dug-out one day, Corberan smiled: “I don’t know. It’s a nice question, but I cannot give the answer.

“I don’t know if all these players have the motivation to be a coach. What I would advise them is to extend their careers as football players. If they want to be a coach, they should have that mentality (first).

“The fact that our players are aware of the solutions and that they understand how to attack and defend is not the only job of the coach.

“If the players understand the information to be patient and where to take positions to break some lines, they can not ruin the game. It is important for players to play with a good level of understanding of the situation.”

Intelligence, as well as heart, came to the fore in midweek in a season when contributions from across the length and breadth of the Town squad have been reassuringly consistent.

Brought back to the club last summer principally to score goals, one of Town’s seasoned professionals in Jordan Rhodes exhibited another string to his bow in midweek in cleverly setting up Josh Koroma’s leveller against Cardiff.

It was something not lost upon Corberan.

Speaking ahead of the trip to St Andrew’s, where Town are aiming to finish off a splendid and undefeated winter by extending their unbeaten run to 17 games in all competitions, he said: “It is good to have young players like Sorba Thomas, Jon Russell and Scott High right now. But the players with more experience in the league like Rhodes and Tom Lees – with many games in the Championship – have experienced different types of moments.

“They give a level of stability and consistency and in terms of emotions and the right decisions on the pitch too.”