Guest sheridans_world Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Interview With An Opposition Fan Ok so this week I found 'Down at the mac' Huddersfields most popular fans forum and asked them seven questions: 1. Stan only started as manager in May, has he had enough time to change the team and stamp his style and authority on the players? Yes, doesn't seem to care about ability if they don't shrug their weight around they'll know about it, although does seem to have his favourite in Flynn. There doesn't seem to be any style preferred, or maybe hoofing, but authority, yes, and lots of it. He's certainly changed the team with lots of new players coming in. (I'm not sure he even knows his best 11 yet) Whereas we've played some good football in patches this season, we still look a little shaky at times. We do seem to be improving match by match and Stan is a notoriously slow starter so I'm pretty confident we'll be firing on all cylinders in the next few weeks We won't know whther stans masterplan is starting to work until after Oldham and Leicester games. I personally think we'll be in the top six at xmas. They're are some good teams in this division, but ALOT of bad ones an all! Yes Yes Yes he has had enough time. No not really, if he has a masterplan it isn't evident yet. 2. You had a lot of transfer activity during the summer. Keigan Parker catches the eye as one big signing, whats the reason for such a large change and is Parker your 'One to Watch'? Nope, Stan doesn't seem to like him playing even if he turned around the game at Chelts. Be lucky to see him come on as a sub. We needed a big change after last seasons performance. Roberts is the one to watch IMO. Change needed coz we were standing still, if it's the right change or not, remains to be seen Our squad has been crying out for a re-vamp for the last couple of seasons. We had no strength in depth in any position and the players we had seemed to have grown used to underachieving. Parker did seem an exciting signing at first but he's had 'personal problems' in the last couple of months so we haven't seen too much of him yet. He may start on Saturday, he may not even be in the squad, who knows! Parker certainly isn't the one to watch IMO. Roberts and perhaps Dickinson on saturday will be our main threats. Parker looks best when coming off the bench. Possibly, does look promising, bu not sure yet as he's hardly played. Stan makes some strange decisions We were poor and needed a clear out. And no, he has hardly played. We had a bad season and most of our players are young so we needed some experience in the squad. Parker hardly ever plays due to 'personal problems'. I'm not sure why so many players have been bought in, at least not in those positions! Gary Roberts is best signing so far and Parker has spent most of his time warming the bench. 3. There has been a lot of talk about Huddersfield's season ticket's this year. Has the increase in fans helped, or hindered the support especially given your start? Hindered, too much expectation too fast. Not yet, but if we go on a winning streak, maybe. Expectations have certainly been sky high since Dean Hoyle (chairman elect) came into the club. The fact we now have, or soon will have an extremely wealthy life-long fan at the helm has probably raised the demands of the fans far more than the cheap ticket deal has. To be honest the crowds haven't increased a great deal really (we averaged 13,000 in 04/05 at full price tickets) so that can't really be used as an excuse. 3,000 of the 16,000 season tickets sold won;t be coming to more than 5 games. So it's a bit of a false statistic. But excellent marketing by the club to get the 100 nicker of them extra few thousand fans. Too early to say, have some very difficult fixtures coming up but hopefully we can do better against the early leading teams Neither - only 12-13k attendances - not much of an excuse for anything The fans expected too much to be honest. everyone knows it takes time with 11 new players in the squad but some of the fans didn't realise that.We didn't even get the full support against Stockport at Home on the First game of the season and since then the figures have dropped due to the bad start. I don't think that the poor start we have had as effected the support that much as even without the extra sales we already had enough boo boys who berate every misplaced pass and pick a player or two to make a scapegoat of. 4. As mentioned above, Huddersfield have'nt had the best start this season, taking 5 points from their first 6 games, is there any reason for this? Haven't gelled yet, 10 new signings this summer says it all. Lacking a winger, pace in defence and a 20 goals a season striker The team simply haven't gelled yet. As I said before, we've played very well in patches this season and hopefully when the players get to know each other more in the coming weeks we'll start to pick up points. slow start. we'll be up their by xmas. Players played out of position, certain new players not better than the old ones, best striker not even on the bench .............I could go on but won't bore you. Average/Poor signings, unbalanced squad, no decent striker, no left winger etc etc It's too early to say, only time will tell. If we do continue this bad start into the middle of next month something needs to be done Main reason, and you don't need Fabio Copello to work it out, is that we aren't putting our chances away and are giving easy goals away at the other end. 5. After a good win against Northampton at the weekend, has your season now kicked off and where do you think you'll finish? See after this weekend to see if it was just a "blip"! Oldham and Leicester will show if we're on the right track Saturday's victory relieved a lot of pressure and even though there's still plenty to work on, we do seem to be hading in the right direction. We're creating lots of chances so if we can start putting more of them away & tighten up in defence I think we'll become a real force in this division. I reckon we'll eventually finish in the top 6 if we don't finish toip six I'll be very disapointed. Still a bit early to say, table still taking shape, but not as optimistic about the playoff place I thought we could get before the season started! No and 10th When we beat Cheltenham away we thought that the season had kicked off then we lost to Tranmere at Home. We won against Northampton at Home so that will have given the players a big confidence boost which 'could' kick off our season! I think we will finish around 8th place. Northampton wasn't a very good performance and only a win because it was against a poor team. It may turn out to be a turning point but we'll have to wait and see. I can see us ending mid table again. 6. To the game, can you beat Oldham on Saturday? Everybody can beat everybody in this league, why not? Course we can, but we might just as easily lose, Gregan out is to our advantage Yes! Whether we will or not is another matter entirely very strange league, anything can happen. if boothy and dicko play they could be a real threat with Oldham missing Gregan. Doubt it, think it could be as bad as last season's league game - my boss is an Oldham fan (when it suits him) & I would love Town to win, but you're going to lose sooner or later, so maybe. Yes but a draw would be a good result It would be good to be the First team to beat Oldham this season but imho i can only see a draw but that would still be a good result. No 7. Lastly, the ever biased prediction? 3-0 Oldham or 1-0 town. 1-2 hudds Oldham 3-3 Town. 2 -2 0-6 to Town (seriously though I think it will be another 3-0 to Oldham) 2-0 Oldham Oldham 2-2 Huddersfield 3-1 Oldham. So thats the end of the questions, once again a mixed bag. It seems like Stan is running a tight ship, he has spent alot of money and brought many players in. It doesnt seem like Keigan Parker has had the impact many here thought he would. As for the result, many favour a draw, most think there will be quite a few goals! Join me again next week when I'll be hunting down a county fan to interview! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigfinLatic Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Kiegan Parker in Personal Problem shocker! Honestly, that moron is one big 'personal problem' - interesting to hear following the comments that he should have been someone we were looking at from some.... Booth and Dickinson worry me slightly without gregan... but their defence is rubbish... if we use our pace we should turn em over... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philliggi Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 i have no doubt in my mind that they are bricking ginge and hughesy much more than we are fearing booth and dickinson. one is yet to prove himself higher than league 2, the other is surely past retirement age by now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razza699 Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 i have no doubt in my mind that they are bricking ginge and hughesy much more than we are fearing booth and dickinson. one is yet to prove himself higher than league 2, the other is surely past retirement age by now? I saw booths goal last week he was static in the 6 yard box and it come off him. Nothing to worry about. Dickinson probably the main threat . Oooo slow defence? Hughes and Taylor and lewi/Davies? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigfinLatic Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 (edited) i have no doubt in my mind that they are bricking ginge and hughesy much more than we are fearing booth and dickinson. one is yet to prove himself higher than league 2, the other is surely past retirement age by now? True, but Booth is a battering ram, just watching the highlights from the last couple of games, virtually all their goals come from lumping it up to him, and him setting it up... with our occasional tendancy to concede soft goals from crosses.. *cough* hartlepool *cough* without gregan we are going to have to work really hard to stop any service getting to him.... True though... first time thy have faced Hughesy too methinks? Thye dont really have anything that scares us though... I think it will be a day of more direct football though, a few longih balls for Hughes and Taylor to chase and Town will pap themselves early doors.... Edited September 25, 2008 by BigfinLatic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch_KTF Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Much as I like and rate Hughesy, he aint that quick, is he?? I think it's time for Davies to return.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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