Huddersfield Town v West Bromwich Albion: Danny Schofield considers his strike options to attack Baggies

Two former Huddersfield Town managers will be at this afternoon’s Championship game against West Bromwich Albion – Steve Bruce in the away dugout and David Wagner in the stands.

Schofield was a young Huddersfield striker when Bruce was at the helm, and he will be eager to tap into someone who has managed over 1,000 games on top of a stellar playing career.

“It’s always good to pick these people’s brains,” says Schofield, a head coach for just six matches.

“As a player and a coach you never stop learning. To speak to people who have been through the role and had lots of experiences, it’s great to get their views.

“We always invite the (opposition) coaching staff into the office after to discuss the game but I’m very rarely in there because I get dragged away to do the media so it’s more for the rest of the coaching staff and I just catch the back end of it.”

Having taken Huddersfield into the Premier League before leaving, burnt out, this will be the first time Wagner has been back.

One of the things Schofield is having to learn since stepping up from the backroom is delegating.

“As an assistant you’re very much delivering the sessions and tailoring them to what the head coach wants,” he says. “Now I’m delegating the work to the coaches and overseeing it. Then it’s managing the players and focusing on off-field coaching which we’re big advocates of.”

With so many old heads, the dressing room should need managing less than most.

“It pretty much runs itself,” says striker Danny Ward. “There’s plenty of experienced players who have been around the block.”

Not that he thinks the senior players – one of whom, Tom Lees, is suspended today – need to hold their rookie manager’s hand.

“The gaffer knows the game inside out and he’s shown that since he’s come in,” stressed Ward.

Ward and Jordan Rhodes, however, are causing him problems by both having scored twice already this season. Schofield now has to consider whether to change formation so they can start together.

“It’s something we’ve discussed,” he confirms. “They’re both excellent players, very good professionals and when they do play together – I know they haven’t started much together -–they do have different qualities.

“In terms of formations I’m quite flexible but in terms of principles I’m very rigid and straight in what I want to see.”