‘We are focusing on the stuff that went wrong,’ says relegated Huddersfield Town chief

AT last the agony is over for Huddersfield Town followers after relegation from the Premier League was confirmed by a 2-0 defeat at Crystal Palace.
Huddersfield Town manager Jan Siewert: Relegation disappointment.Huddersfield Town manager Jan Siewert: Relegation disappointment.
Huddersfield Town manager Jan Siewert: Relegation disappointment.

Ironically this was the venue where Town’s top-flight adventure began with a 3-0 dream debut win in August, 2017.

There was no repeat on Saturday as second-half goals from Luka Milivojevic (penalty) and Patrick van Aanholt mean Town join Derby – relegated in 2008 – in losing their top-flight status before the end of March.

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Huddersfield head coach Jan Siewert believes a full examination is required of the club’s relegation season, which he has overseen since fellow German David Wagner’s resignation.

Wagner defied all the odds to keep Huddersfield in the top flight last season, but mutually agreed to depart in January after amassing just 11 points from 22 games this term.

Huddersfield have now collected a miserable 14 points from 32 matches to leave them 19 points from safety with six games remaining.

Siewert, however, was full of praise for the way his side went down with a fight.

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He said: “We tried everything to avoid relegation, but at the end we couldn’t do it. It’s hard to take after such a performance.

“I think we did very well in the first half. We encountered tactical situations very well and had offensive possibilities against a team which has the quality of Wilfried Zaha, for example. It was really great to see the lads fighting for each other.

“When you see this group on the pitch, they made the home audience give them a round of applause after the game, even at half-time we were impressed. It was great for us to see that we did so many things right.

“The penalty definitely summed up the season. We haven’t had a penalty ourselves this season, but we’ve conceded eight to 10. The quality in the Premier League is so high that it completely takes the game in a different direction.

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“But still at 1-0 down we fought and had a chance to equalise. The team on the pitch made me really proud.”

Siewert praised the support the team received at Selhurst Park, adding: “I think the fans realise what we are doing. There are certain things that go wrong in a season, and we have to find all the things that we are willing to do as a club. It’s great, and the supporters are part of that, and they help to bring us in the right direction.

“We are really focusing on the stuff that went wrong, and finding a better way to come back stronger.”

Match report: Page 3