Luton Town v Huddersfield Town – Adaptability helps Alex Vallejo put himself in Terriers picture

Alex Vallejo had to go through 51 days of hard slog – the hardest of his career – before Carlos Corberan trusted him to pull on the blue and white stripes of Huddersfield Town, but the Spanish midfielder thinks it was all worthwhile.
Huddersfield Town's Alex Vallejo has worked himself into the reckoning at the John Smith's Stadium.
Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeHuddersfield Town's Alex Vallejo has worked himself into the reckoning at the John Smith's Stadium.
Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Huddersfield Town's Alex Vallejo has worked himself into the reckoning at the John Smith's Stadium. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

The 29-year-old joined as a free agent in October but having not played any competitive football since January when he emerged from quarantine, coach Corberan insisted on putting him through his paces at Canalside before he considered him for selection.

With Jonathan Hogg due back from injury at Luton Town, Vallejo might not add to his five Terriers starts this afternoon, but has won the trust of his coach if changes are needed.

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“The time before my first match, the five or six weeks training was the hardest I have ever done because Carlos demands a lot,” says Vallejo. “I am not an explosive player, I am more static and he wanted me to improve.

Huddersfield Town manager Carlos Corberan. Picture: Yui Mok/PAHuddersfield Town manager Carlos Corberan. Picture: Yui Mok/PA
Huddersfield Town manager Carlos Corberan. Picture: Yui Mok/PA

“My first 15 days here were running, running and running, gym, and running again. I think I needed that. Now I am really happy I did because I feel really strong, a different player.”

Corberan can be quite fastidious about the work he demands of players he feels are not yet up to speed physically or tactically with his way of playing, but he is delighted with Vallejo’s progress.

“The adaptation was very necessary,” he says. “Fortunately he completed part of the process when the team needed him.

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“We used the (FA) Cup game (against Plymouth Argyle) to make this adaptation and he performed well in that game and started to improve fast and show the things we needed from him as a Championship player. After Hogg’s injury we played him against Watford and that’s why he needed the Cup game, so he could start to believe he could play in the Championship.

Huddersfield Town's Jonathan Hogg could return to the Terriers' starting line-up to face Luton. Picture: Zac Goodwin/PAHuddersfield Town's Jonathan Hogg could return to the Terriers' starting line-up to face Luton. Picture: Zac Goodwin/PA
Huddersfield Town's Jonathan Hogg could return to the Terriers' starting line-up to face Luton. Picture: Zac Goodwin/PA

“After that, he showed he can improve. Sometimes games give you more confidence in yourself and the confidence of your team-mates.”

It was, Vallejo admits, a tough time without the reward of a game.

“You have to be really strong in your mind because every player wants to play but only 11 have the option to be in the first XI,” he says. “My role here was that I would have to train a lot and maybe, only maybe, I might play so I knew I had to improve a lot. I got into the team because Hoggy had an injury and I tried to do well in these matches.

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“When I started for the first time I was proud of myself for doing the right things.”

Vallejo may be coached by a compatriot who chats to him in his mother tongue, but it is abundantly clear that in moving to the Championship he has joined a different footballing world, one he really enjoys being part of.

“When you see all the stadia, the teams, the journalists, you know it’s a big competition,” he says of the division. “In Spain maybe only two or three teams have a training ground like this.

“You have really good players, really good teams. You play teams that a few years ago were in the Premier League.

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“It is different football to what I played before, more man-to-man, trying to find spaces. You take the risk of making mistakes. That’s the reason we have to train a lot because 11 players have to try to get the ball, pass, move and co-ordinate their movements.

“I really enjoy playing this way.

“I’m a football fan and it’s really exciting to watch Championship matches because every time it’s attack and defence, attack and defence. It’s really good for the fans but on the pitch it’s really hard. In my first match I was thinking, ‘There’s only been 30 minutes but I’ve never stopped.”

There will certainly be no bitterness if Hogg, fresh from signing a new contract, takes his place in the starting XI.

“I feel really good as the holding midfielder but Hogg is a really good player,” he says. “He’s close to me in the dressing room. He’s an example to me.

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“Fans want players to give everything on the pitch and you know how Hoggy is.”

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