'˜Tall terrier' Collin Quaner can prove difference in Huddersfield Town's promotion quest

NEW £500,000 signing Collin Quaner could be the missing piece of the jigsaw for Huddersfield Town believes fellow German Chris Lowe.
Huddersfield Town's Izzy Brown celebrating after scoring the opening goal against Ipwich. (Picture: James Hardisty)Huddersfield Town's Izzy Brown celebrating after scoring the opening goal against Ipwich. (Picture: James Hardisty)
Huddersfield Town's Izzy Brown celebrating after scoring the opening goal against Ipwich. (Picture: James Hardisty)

Huddersfield had little trouble disposing of Ipswich and bouncing back from defeat at fellow top-six club Sheffield Wednesday without Quaner, their signing from Union Berlin who had not received international clearance.

It was the first time that Town had won by two clear goals in the Championship this season and full-back Lowe admitted: “I don’t think it is an issue, but sometimes we need too many chances to score a goal.

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“You saw last week that we had to bring a centre-back on the pitch in the last 10 minutes so I think the manager now has the opportunity to bring on a real striker who is a natural goalscorer and that is really important.

Izzy Brown celebrates his goal with head coach David Wagner (Picture: James Hardisty)Izzy Brown celebrates his goal with head coach David Wagner (Picture: James Hardisty)
Izzy Brown celebrates his goal with head coach David Wagner (Picture: James Hardisty)

“Collin will help us. He has a good technique, I have played some games against him and he is the type of player we have missed.

“A big target man, good in the air, strong, fast and I think he is maybe the player who can make that big impact during the run-in.

“Collin had contact with Elias Kachunga before signing, but everyone in Germany knows about Huddersfield Town now and with the Germans who are already here, I believe he will settle in very quickly.”

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Head coach David Wagner was delighted to have signed his countryman, a 6ft 3ins forward, on a three-and-a-half-year deal, saying: “He is a terrier as a striker – a tall terrier, which you will not often find, but a striker who will suit our game perfectly because he really likes to work and he is quick, able to use his body, able to score goals.

Huddersfield Town's Christopher Schindler, right, walks away after been mobbed by his teammates for scoring their second goal of the match. (Picture: James Hardisty)Huddersfield Town's Christopher Schindler, right, walks away after been mobbed by his teammates for scoring their second goal of the match. (Picture: James Hardisty)
Huddersfield Town's Christopher Schindler, right, walks away after been mobbed by his teammates for scoring their second goal of the match. (Picture: James Hardisty)

“He played for a very big club in the German second division and this club has a potential to get promoted, but from our first meeting he made it totally clear, not only to us but to Union Berlin, that he wanted to go to Huddersfield as soon as he could. When Union Berlin signed Sebastian Polter from QPR we were able to come closer and closer and we are very happy that we have him in our group.”

Wagner believes his January transfer window dealings are now complete, but he did not require Quaner to overcome an Ipswich side knocked out of the FA Cup by non-league Lincoln in midweek.

Another January signing, Chelsea loanee Izzy Brown, erstwhile of Rotherham, netted his first goal for Town before the break and their match-winner at Portman Road, centre-back Christopher Schindler, struck his first goal at the John Smith’s Stadium with a left-footed strike, of which a forward would have been proud, early in the second half.

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Kachunga also had four headed opportunities for Town, failing to take any of them, but, perhaps more importantly, the hosts still dominated without one of the Championship’s outstanding performers, back injury victim Aaron Mooy.

Izzy Brown celebrates his goal with head coach David Wagner (Picture: James Hardisty)Izzy Brown celebrates his goal with head coach David Wagner (Picture: James Hardisty)
Izzy Brown celebrates his goal with head coach David Wagner (Picture: James Hardisty)

With Jonathan Hogg back from injury, Philip Billing again took a central midfield role and delighted Wagner, who said it had taken six months for him to produce such a 90-minute display and it was the young Dane’s powerful shot that cannoned off goalkeeper Dean Gerken to allow Schindler to score from the rebound.

The first goal had been down to Brown’s ability to spin off his marker after receiving a pass from Lowe a few yards inside the Ipswich half and bear down on goal before letting fly from outside the area in the 41st minute.

Victory took Town to third ahead of testing home games against Brighton and Leeds, which follow Saturday’s FA Cup trip to Rochdale.

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Wagner said: “It was a huge result for us and, in my opinion, a world-class performance from my players. We showed exactly what we stand for. We were aggressive, created opportunities and scored two wonderful goals.

Huddersfield Town's Christopher Schindler, right, walks away after been mobbed by his teammates for scoring their second goal of the match. (Picture: James Hardisty)Huddersfield Town's Christopher Schindler, right, walks away after been mobbed by his teammates for scoring their second goal of the match. (Picture: James Hardisty)
Huddersfield Town's Christopher Schindler, right, walks away after been mobbed by his teammates for scoring their second goal of the match. (Picture: James Hardisty)

“It is one thing to speak about bouncing back and showing a reaction, but we have done it in a very good way. The players should be very proud.”

Huddersfield Town: Ward, Smith, Hefele, Schindler, Lowe; Kachunga, Hogg (Whitehead 85), Billing, Van la Parra; Brown (Lolley 76); Wells (Hudson 89). Unused substitutes: Coleman, Bunn, Cranie, Stankovic.

Ipswich Town: Gerken, Spence (Moore 67), Digby, Chambers, Berra, Knudsen; Dozzell (Douglas 46), Skuse, Bru (Pitman 73); Lawrence, Sears. Unused substitutes: Crowe, Ward, Emmanuel, Nydam.

Referee: A Davies (Hampshire).