From brighter lights to sun visors, Huddersfield Town have their work cut out

“What plans do you have for the Premier League? And can you stay loyal to this group or do big changes have to be made?”

Shortly before 7pm on Monday, Huddersfield Town’s head coach David Wagner, his hair reeking of champagne after heading to the media room straight from a jubilant dressing room, aped the reaction of so many who have occupied the same seat and fielded those same enquiries with a sharp intake of breath.

Then, the man responsible for one of football’s more unlikely stories blew out his cheeks before making a plea to be allowed to enjoy the moment, rather than think about what had to be done in the summer.

Steve Bruce had said something very similar 12 months earlier, and Alex Neil a year before that.

But, as the managers of Hull City and Norwich City knew only too well at the time, the clock is ticking the moment that the richest game in world football comes to an end.

If Huddersfield’s return to the elite is not one of those moved for television, their opening fixture is just 73 days away. That is right, a little over 10 weeks.

Considering the work that lays ahead both on and off the field, it is an inordinately small window, but one Huddersfield and Wagner must tackle head on.

A key appointment that could be made as early as this week will help. Town have been without a head of football operations since Stuart Webber was placed on gardening leave at the end of March amid negotiations over what would be his eventual switch to Norwich.

Webber had played a big part in not only identifying Wagner as a potential head coach but also last summer’s recruitment.

Town, crucially, got their work done early with all but Tareiq Holmes-Dennis and Jon Gorenc Stankovic of the dozen new arrivals in place before pre-season got under way.

Repeating that this time around will be tough due to the tight timescale, but, make no mistake, Wagner and the new head of football operations will already have a clear vision of what needs to be done.

Amid his plea to be allowed to enjoy Town’s promotion, Wagner did make clear a desire to retain the four loanees who have played such a key role this term.

This, though, will not be easy with Pep Guardiola already having spoken of his intention to assess Aaron Mooy during pre-season, while Jurgen Klopp sees Danny Ward’s long-term future at Liverpool. Chelsea are also understood to rate Izzy Brown and Kasey Palmer highly enough to want to keep hold of the duo.

For the Terriers, this would be a headache due to Premier League regulations stating clubs can make no more than four domestic loans per season, and only two at any one time, who must be from different clubs.

Mooy, if Guardiola deems the Australian not to be up to City’s standard, will also have no shortage of suitors from the top division after being arguably the Championship’s outstanding player this term.

Tommy Smith and Chris Lowe, along with Mooy the most consistent performers at the John Smith’s Stadium, are also more than capable of making the step-up. Christopher Schindler is another who could prosper among the elite, but, elsewhere, if Town are to be truly competitive then fresh blood is needed.

It is not just on the pitch, either, where changes must be made with the Premier League having strict regulations governing stadia and facilities.

Everything from press box capacity through to the number of available vantage points for TV cameras and even the strength of floodlight bulbs are laid down in ‘Document K’, the ‘bible’ for all newly-promoted clubs wanting to bring their homes up to speed.

A good gauge of the work that will have to do be done behind the scenes at the John Smith’s Stadium this summer comes via Middlesbrough, promoted a year ago.

The Teessiders had last been among the elite in 2009, but the minimum requirements demanded by the League had advanced so far that the club eventually had to spend around £5m last summer bringing the Riverside up to standard.

Among the upgrades were the installation of floodlights twice as bright as the old ones, a new TV studio, five new media interview rooms just off the tunnel and the erection of a sun visor above the TV gantry to prevent camera glare.

To ensure said visor was doing its job, League officials coincided assessment visits with any potential kick-off times.

It was a big job and one that Boro, thanks to clinching automatic promotion rather than going up via the play-offs, had an extra three weeks to complete.

Even so, there was still an almighty rush to get everything finished in time for Stoke City’s visit on the opening day.

With that in mind, Huddersfield officials may prefer the fixtures computer to hand the club an away game to kick off their return to the elite on the weekend of August 12.

No such potential leeway applies on the footballing side, with history largely showing that of those who have survived on the back of winning the play-offs – just 10 of 25 in the Premier League era – a strong start is imperative.

It is why, with yesterday’s open top bus parade now over, Wagner’s thoughts will be fully occupied by that very question he brushed aside at Wembley on Monday.