Stay with Terriers and you will improve, Grayson tells Rhodes

SIMON Grayson believes Jordan Rhodes would benefit hugely from spending this season in the Championship with Huddersfield Town.

The 22-year-old is in demand after netting 40 goals last season to fire the Terriers to promotion via the play-offs.

Blackburn Rovers have already had a £4m bid rejected by Town, while Fulham and West Ham United are long-time admirers of a player who made his senior debut for Scotland last term.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sam Allardyce failed with a £5m offer last January due to Huddersfield wanting to keep hold of a player who chairman Dean Hoyle felt could be the difference between the club winning promotion from League One and missing out.

Such a belief proved well founded with Rhodes’s phenomenal goal tally – he netted 36 of Town’s 82 in league combat last term – going a long way to securing a return to the second tier for the first time in 11 years.

Following the rejection of Blackburn’s bid earlier this week, Huddersfield are realistic enough to realise other would-be suitors may make offers, but Grayson is adamant Rhodes would be best served by staying at the Galpharm Stadium for at least another 12 months.

“I do think another year in the Championship will be the best thing that can happen to Jordan,” said Grayson, who the Yorkshire Post understands is on the verge of adding Cardiff City defender Anthony Gerrard to his squad.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I am not saying Jordan couldn’t make it in the Premier League if someone comes in. He has always scored goals at whatever level.

“But I have seen it happen a few times where a player leaves the Championship to go to the Premier League and then only plays a dozen games.

“Or spends most of their time coming off the bench.

“Jordan is someone who has been used to playing so for him to go to the Premier League and do that, I believe that would be very difficult for him. He is still young and learning, and another year (in the Championship) will benefit him and benefit Huddersfield Town.”

For all his scoring prowess in League One with Town, Rhodes has just one goal to his name at Championship level – from his time with first club, Ipswich Town.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It came on April 9, 2008, against Cardiff at Ninian Park in his eighth appearance from the bench for the Tractor Boys.

Rhodes joined Huddersfield a little over a year later after the then teenager had spent much of the 2008-09 season on loan in League Two at, first, Rochdale and then Brentford.

Grayson added: “Jordan has not changed (with all the speculation about a possible transfer), he is still the same level-headed guy.

“I have had numerous conversations with him over the summer and he knows what our stance has been.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“If someone is willing to pay the money that we have in our minds for him, then we will listen and do the right thing by Jordan,” said Grayson.

“But until anyone gets even close to that valuation then there is no point discussing stuff.

“The enquiries that we have had and the money being mentioned wouldn’t have bought him at Christmas last year when he still had another 15 or so of his goals to score in League One, never mind someone who got 40 goals.

“There is a starting point that people know we were at when West Ham came in. Jordan is great.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Like everyone else at the club, he has just got on with his work and kept his head down.

“Players have to keep proving themselves and the Championship is a step up for most of the lads at the club, not just Jordan.

“But the big thing in Jordan’s favour is he wants to get better all the time.

“He is a willing listener and has a good grounding from his dad (Andy, Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeping coach), who has been in the game a long time,” added Grayson.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Providing Huddersfield are successful in fending off any further interest in Rhodes, the striker will be joined in the Town team next season by former Hull City defender Gerrard.

After having a £350,000 bid 
accepted by the Welsh club, the Terriers are understood to be closing in on agreement with Gerrard.

Leicester City, Millwall and Bristol City have all been interested in the 26-year-old, who was voted Player of the Year during his stay at the KC Stadium in the 2010-11 season.

But it seems Huddersfield have won the race for Gerrard, meaning he could be handed an instant return to Cardiff on the opening weekend of the season with Grayson’s side due to travel to Wales a week on Friday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Gerrard, cousin of England captain Steven, was recently left behind as the rest of the squad travelled to Switzerland for a pre-season training camp.

Meanwhile, Town fans are invited to the club’s annual Open Day on Tuesday, August 14 at the Galpharm Stadium.

The gates will open at 9.30am and fans will have the chance to watch training before enjoying a behind-the-scenes look round the stadium. At 1pm, the squad will then sign autographs.