Huddersfield Town v Cardiff City: "Write us off all you want," taunts John Stead
Jon Stead is "sick" of Huddesfield Town being written off, but he is using it to fire up his players as he looks to add another twist to their story in Tuesday's League One game at home to Cardiff City.
An away win could see the Bluebirds' inevitable automatic promotion confirmed by results on Wednesday, but the Terriers’ hopes of being in next season's Championship are more tenuous, thanks in part to Wycombe Wanderers' stoppage-time equaliser on Saturday.
Some saw that as the end of Huddersfield's push. They are five points outside the play-offs having played a game more than sixth-placed Stevenage, who can leapfrog Bradford City in third by avoiding defeat at Bolton tonight.
But first-team coach Stead, in temporary charge with Martin Drury with Liam Manning on compassionate leave, expects his players to come out fighting, roared on by a crowd he feels is enjoying their style of play. “We get written off every 10 minutes,” he said.
“The players have shown they're not giving up. The conversations that we had on Monday morning, the way they trained, nothing's done.
“The fans have been fantastic. What an atmosphere it was (on Saturday). I know it ended in disappointment, but that spell before that was just incredible to be a part of.
“We need that again against a very good side but one we’re more than capable of matching and beating.
"We're still full of confidence and the players showed that the way they trained this morning. When we're asking them questions around things and the way that they're answering, they're telling us they want to go again.
“We get written off every two minutes and I'm sick of it, to be fair. Until it's done, it's done. Until then, let's get right behind it, all of us.”
But the Terriers can and will use that to spur them on.
“We've used it at times, yes, absolutely,” he admitted.
“Especially with everything that happened with Liam's stuff, I think that was kind of the first time everybody wrote us off straight away. Then it seems to happen every other game now.
“It's a motivation, but I think the players are so motivated themselves. They want this as much as anybody.
“The connection between the players and the fans has been remarkable. The support that they're getting now has been brilliant.
“I think everything's gelling together. There's just something there. That's why it was a sucker punch on Saturday, because you just felt like it was going to be another one of those moments.
“It's a bit of a gut-wrencher, but all great stories have these little twists and turns, don't they? There's no reason why it can't be one of those.”
One reason Stead thinks the fans are with his players is because of the way they are playing. He calls it “verticality” – modern coach-speak for getting the ball forward quickly in an era where some teams pass for the sake of it. “I don't think it's just the fans (who like it),” commented Huddersfield-born Stead, “I think it's just the area. You see it at other clubs in this similar sort of catchment area.
“First of all you want to see sweat on your shirt, don't you? You want to see somebody that's giving absolutely everything for that badge. Once you get that, you can add bits to it.
“If you have that, it's very difficult to be a very slow, methodical type of team. So you need to marry it up somewhere, having that aggression with the ball as well as without it.
“Yes, there'll be times when you have to be a bit more of a block. You can't just be harum and scarum all the time because you just can't do it for 90 minutes but even in a block, you can be aggressive.
“As long as you're never passive, you can look a really good side. So I think you're trying to get all those elements and create this kind of beast that we want it to look like, and then keep building on that.
“I think that's something that everybody can buy into, whether you're coming in through the turnstiles as a fan or working in the offices here. Let's all have that same mentality, and I think that can really drive us.”
Midfielder Cameron Humphreys, on loan from ball-playing Ipswich Town, says it is an enjoyable way to play too.
“It's enjoyable, even more so when the fans get behind it and you can feel the energy of the crowd,” he said. “It gives you energy.
“As a player I want to have the ball. I want to be attacking with it and getting the ball forward so that style has suited me. We've shown since the two guys have come in that we're not going to stop fighting, we're going to go to the end.”
Goalkeeper Lee Nicholls will miss Tuesday's game through concussion protocols, but teenage striker George Sebine has come through his, and is available.
The tight calf which saw Lynden Gooch go off at the weekend is being assessed, and Jack Whatmough is “close” to a return.