Mark Lillis is again putting a collective arm around the Huddersfield Town squad as he prepares for Saturday’s visit of Charlton Athletic.
With two wins from his three games in charge, Lillis has another three points as his target to add to those from the 2-1 midweek win at Reading – when the average age of the starting line-up was just over 23.
The academy boss remains at the helm while owner-chairman Dean Hoyle interviews for the club’s next permanent manager, and Lillis has made it clear he will utilise the qualities of every available player.
“It’s easy to keep 11 players happy because they are starting, but you need to be able to put your trust in 20-odd for every game,” said Lillis.
“When you speak to the lads who are not starting, it’s important you make them realise we are going to need them massively as a club throughout the season – and we have done that.
“It’s the reason I worked with our substitutes before the Reading match and left the main group in the hands of Steve Eyre and Steve Thompson, because I wanted them to understand how important a role they have.”
Lillis made two changes at Reading, bringing in Harry Bunn and Sean Scannell for Jon Stead and loan man Radi Majewski – the latter was also on the bench for the Capital One Cup win at Chesterfield before making the starting line-up at Cardiff.
“I explained to Radi (Majewski) at Chesterfield why I was going with a particular system and he bought into it, just like all the rest,” added Lillis.
“I know Radi can do the business and he will get his chance, and you need everyone to realise that. From my point of view I need to know the lads inside out – there will be a new addition to Radi’s family in 10 weeks, for instance – and from their point of view they need to know they are included with an important role to play.
“When I looked round the subs the other night at Reading, they were just willing the team to win and that’s exactly what you want.
“If Dean said to me to take the team for the rest of the season I wouldn’t do anything differently, and the lads have really responded.
“The result was massive for the club the other night. They are all big games in the Championship and you have to handle that, so now we press on against Charlton.”
