Huddersfield Town v Derby County: Carel Eiting has unfinished business with Terriers

The cultured 23-year-old central midfielder left Huddersfield when a year-long loan from Ajax which brought so much excitement initially fizzled out with injury, but Huddersfield never really left him.

“Once a Terrier, always a Terrier” is a phrase the club and their coach Carlos Corberan like to use but in Eiting’s case they did not just get one, but a whole group of devotees, some of whom will be in the stands for tonight’s Championship game at home to Derby County, others at Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Barnsley.

In some respects, so much has changed since Eiting’s short spell at Genk, which took in Champions League and Europa League football before his contract was cut short so he could sign a short-team deal with Huddersfield. When Eiting rushed back from knee surgery to play the final three matches of last season, it was to help out a team still looking nervously down at the Championship relegation zone. Now they are looking up, on the cusp of the play-offs.

The entire defence has been remodelled, Sorba Thomas has gone from fringe player to thrilling talent and Danny Ward looks transformed by swapping regular visits to the treatment room for a solid run of games.

If the league table provided the excitement, the games themselves were left sterile by the absence of fans. The money helps too, of course, but playing in front of passionate crowds is the big lure when foreign players come to England and coronavirus robbed Eiting of the full experience.

But for everything that has changed, the essence of the club has stayed the same, and that is what appeals to Eiting.

“As a football player it feels great when you’re in a great environment,” he says, speaking the day after his deadline-night move. “I’m very happy with everyone working here and everyone’s happy to see me.”

It made scrambling a deal at short notice so much easier.

“It happened very, very quickly,” he says. “I have a good relationship with Leigh (Bromby, the head of football operations) and I asked him for advice when I was here and after I left. We had a new coach in Belgium (Bernd Storck) and I didn’t know how he was going to use me, what he thinks of me.

“There are 18 games left in three months (more if they beat Barnsley) so you need a lot of players and hopefully I can contribute a lot and aim for the highest place (in the table).

“(The relationship with Bromby was) very important but it was everybody here, it’s a great environment. It’s more about the people – how they behave to me, just having a conversation and being the best they can for me. Not only the kitman or officials, everyone from the chefs to the players.”

Playing in front of supporters is something he is clearly looking forward to. He brings it up more than once.

“There was some unfinished business, not only for me but my family and friends to experience because they will be very proud to be in the stadium as well,” he says. “Before they were only able to watch me on television.

“My girlfriend and my dad will be here and a couple of other family members are coming over on Saturday.”

He has, he says, been keeping a close eye on the club from Belgium.

“Not only me but also my family and friends because once you go to a club and it’s a nice experience everybody’s following the club and seeing how you’re doing,” he says.

“I’m very excited because I’ve seen some matches with full stadiums in the Championship and the Premier League and hopefully the fans are happy and proud I play for Huddersfield.”

Eiting also assured fans he is match-fit and ready to go against a Derby side putting up an incredible fight against a relegation which seemed inevitable once they were docked 21 points over financial issues.

“I played 19 games (for Genk), three times in the Europa League, two Champions League matches, and actually it was great,” he says. “It was just they changed the coach and how they want to play.

“I played a lot over the last couple of matches in Genk so I’m fully fit. On Friday I played a training match and on Saturday a competitive match as a starter so it’s fine, I’m ready to play.”

Right-back Pipa is back in training and in consideration to play, but Levi Colwill is still recovering from a knee injury, and back-up goalkeeper Ryan Schofield has been sent for an operation, which is why the club signed Jamal Blackman, along with winger/No 10 Tino Anjorin and Eiting on deadline day. Chelsea loanee Anjorin is recovering at Cobham from a broken foot suffered on loan at Lokomotiv Moscow in November.

Last six games: Huddersfield Town DWDWDW; Derby County DLWLDW.

Referee: M Donohue (Greater Manchester).

Last time: Huddersfield Town 1 Derby County 0, October 20, 2020, Championship.