Huddersfield Town's Sorba Thomas excited by the thought of hard graft under new coach Mark Fotheringham

"I'm going to be falling out with him on a lot of things," says Mark Fotheringham in his thick Dundee accent.

It is music to the Welsh international's ears.

Huddersfield Town's new coach is determined to pester and cajole Thomas until he turns him onto the Premier League player he believes is lurking in the 23-year-old.

Thomas might play at the fancy-dan end of the field, a forward with a big personality, tattoos, man-bun, white boots, all the modern trappings, but he is a grafter too, and the thought of being pushed by a coach who got his job on the back of the calibre of managers he has worked with in the past excites rather than discourages him.

It makes the abuse he has received from some quarters this season even more nonsensical.

"I always want to improve, I always want to help and when you've got a gaffer who says, 'Trust, me you'll get to the Premier League,' straight away before we even had a conversation, that's music to my ears," he says ahead of Fortheringham's second match in charge, at Luton Town on Tuesday.

“We've had little chats and he's getting to know me as a player. I'm enjoying every minute with him and hopefully he does improve me.

"When you're losing (as Town have too often since last season's Championship play-off final) sometimes confidence goes low and you just need someone to put their arm around you.

"I am an experienced player now but that doesn't mean I don't need an arm around me now and then. It helps massively.

"On his first day he brought me into a meeting and told me what he wanted to do. I was intrigued and I couldn't wait to get going.

"He's a character, everyone can see it on the bench."

His Championship breakthrough came at wing-back last season.

"Playing as a wing-back under Carlos (Corberan) wasn't something I wanted to do but that got me my call-up for Wales," reflects Thomas.

"It shows that my versatility can help me and I've told the gaffer I'm willing to play wherever he wants me to play if it means helping the team.

"I just want to get better and better as a player and reach my goals. Reaching them goals will help family and family's massive to me."

Fotheringham has arrived in West Yorkshire more than anything to improve footballers, and he is excited by the raw material Thomas offers. His dead ball delivery sets him apart and another thing his coach is big on – width – is another tick in the box.

"He's got so much more to give," says Fotheringham. "They talked about him being one of the biggest threats in the Championship last season and I'm seeing so much more room for improvement.

"He's just a personality and I keep telling him to be himself, be aggressive around the group, express yourself, be confident in everything you do because when you're at it, you're a danger to everyone in this league.

"I've got to improve this player. I'm going to be falling out with him on a lot of things because I want to get him clearer in what he does but he's so willing to learn.

"Every time you speak to him he looks you in the eyes and engages. He's a good lad."

Everything about Fotheringham feels tailor-made for Thomas.

"I'm not the type of winger that wants to be in the pockets," he says. "I leave that to Duane Holmes and Tino (Anjorin). I like to be high and wide, get one-v-ones and balls in the box.

"It's about repaying the gaffer’s faith in me by playing week in, week out, helping the team.

"I'm enjoying it. I love playing football and if that means not playing in positions that are not massively my favourites, I'll do it for the team."

As well as pushing the Terriers from the relegation zone to the play-off places he believes should be their destiny once more, Thomas has a World Cup place to secure. He does not see it as a juggling act.

"When I'm with Wales I keep Huddersfield to one side and focus on my country and once I'm back that's where my focus is,” he insists. "After the game against Poland the confidence started to come back, you could see glimpses. It's about bringing that into the Huddersfield team.

"We know the win's coming because you see games like West Brom at home, Blackpool at home, that we should be winning but errors cost us. It's about taking them errors out and being more clinical at the other end.

"The gaffer's been working hard on putting balls in the right areas consistently.

"Our season's got to start soon."I want to be on the plane (to Qatar) but I probably need to work twice as hard because there's a lot of Welsh talent coming through."

Anjorin is missing with gastroentiritis, but Fotheringham has no fresh injuries and Jonathan Hogg could progress from the bench to the XI at Kenilworth Road.