Kenny Miller on Mark Fotheringham at Huddersfield Town: 'It's a different way of working'

But having witnessed them first hand in Marbella this week, the former striker says he has never seen coaching sessions like Mark Fotheringham's at Huddersfield Town.

Fotheringham was handed his first managerial job by the Terriers in September, but much of his coaching education came in Germany under the likes of Felix Magath.

Yet to have a pre-season, Huddersfield's World Cup break in Marbella has been his first chance to really stamp his ideas on the relegation-threatened Championship squad he inherited, and his new right-hand man has been impressed.

"I've known Mark for a long time but we've really got to know each other a lot better over the last two years on the pro licence (they studied together) and he's someone I really believe in," said Miller, who joined the club last week.

"He's a wonderful young coach with clear ideas, wonderful education not only from his playing time but his coaching time in Germany.

"It's a different way of working. I've not seen a team work as hard but the lads are really, really responding."

Like Fotheringham, who coached at Karlsruher, Cowdenbeath, Ingolstadt and Hertha Berlin, Miller has spent time learning his trade. Since retiring from playing in January 2020, he has coached Newcastle Jets, Western Sydney Wanderers and Falkirk. He also had short stints at Livingston player-manager and caretaker at the Falkirk Stadium.

But knowledge is one thing, putting it into practice is another.

Severely hampered by injuries, Fotheringham's first 11 games have yielded 12 points, leaving Huddersfield bottom of the Championship going into the resumption at Sheffield United a week on Saturday.

Miller, though, is convinced they can get out of it. They will certainly need more attacking punch, which the former forward can help with, although he stresses he will be working with all departments of the side.

"I've watched every game since Mark came in and there's been a lot of positive work to get us into a position where we can win games, we just need to get these wee finishing touches and maybe a wee bit of luck as well for a goal to drop," he reflected.

"When you're going to play teams like QPR and Blackburn at the top of the league and you've got so many young players in the team based on a lot of injuries, this break is coming at a good time.

"This work is going to make the players better and stronger because they've had a really tough week but there's more than enough in the dressing room to get us climbing the table. What will help us is getting the more experienced players back from injury because it will give the squad a lot more strength in depth and they'll push each other on."