Finding the right combination at Huddersfield Town is Wagner’s mission

The Terriers appointed the 47-year-old German shortly before the international break.

His first game is at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday and Town fans have been promised “something new” from their team.

Wagner has been busy implementing the ideas behind the ‘gegenpressing’ system that he wants Huddersfield to adopt in the Championship.

Part of that has been changing the players’ routine, with today’s training session, for instance, taking place during the afternoon rather than morning. Wagner has also had the players in for double sessions during his first two weeks at the helm.

“There are some differences in culture but I do respect the English way,” said Wagner at his pre-match press conference on Thursday lunchtime. “It is a very famous country that brought football to the world.

“How to work is different, as is when to work and how much you work. There is also differences in how you analyse an opponent or yourself.

“It is different between English culture and European football culture. It is not my intention to change English football culture, of course not.

“But I do want to bring in some influence from German culture. And from Europe, to mix it with good, old traditional English football culture.”

Wagner has a tough start to life in the job, Saturday’s trip to Hillsborough being followed by a home clash against Middlesbrough on November 28.

He has given little indication as to the make-up of his starting line-up against the Owls, other than to confirm that Joel Lynch and Philip Billing will be missing through injury.

The Town chief added: “Sheffield away is the perfect game. Not too far to travel for our fans and, hopefully, there will be a lot of Huddersfield fans in the stadium on Saturday.

“I respect Sheffield, like I do every team in the Championship. I have enough information that we are prepared. It is important how my team play on the pitch.

“We are trying to change something. We will need to be patient. But I do want to win games and the first one is on Saturday.

“A win will make some things easier. But if we do not, we will not break down. We have our way that we are trying to build something new. The first step on this way is Sheffield and there will be more steps after that.”

Ben Chilwell yesterday became Wagner’s first signing as Huddersfield manager. He will be part of the travelling party to the Steel City, though unlikely to start due to the return of first choice left back Jason Davidson from international duty with Australia.

On the 18-year-old full back, Wagner added: “Ben is a good, English talent. Very young at 18 but he will have a good future. We only have one left back, Jason Davidson, in our squad so we needed one.

“Like most young players, he is fresh and does not feel pressure. They just like to play. He is a good technical player and his experience we will build up.

“We must not put too much pressure on the guy. He has to learns the names of everyone, first. Then, learn a little bit about our style of play.”