Will Tommy Smith be the last man standing for Huddersfield Town in pre-season by tonight?
That’s a question only head coach David Wagner can answer as Town prepare to take on Werder Bremen in Austria (5pm kick-off).
It’s the penultimate friendly before the big Championship opener against Brentford on Saturday, August 6, with Town scheduled to play FC Ingolstadt this coming Friday.
The 24-year-old right-back Smith is the only outfield player in Wagner’s 28-man squad in Austria who has started all three public friendlies – against Guiseley, Oldham Athletic and Liverpool.
Goalkeeper Joel Coleman has also started all three of those games, but he could well lose the starting gloves against the Bundesliga outfit because Liverpool stopper Danny Ward is now available to make his debut.
The match against Bremen – who have already completed four friendlies this summer as they bid to improve on last term’s 13th place finish in the Bundesliga – could mark a return to action for leading score Nahki Wells, who missed out in the Shankly Trophy match against Liverpool because of a knee niggle.
Record £1.8m signing Christopher Schindler is one of nine players who have figured in two of Town’s three public friendlies in this country.
The others are Manchester City loan signing Aaron Mooy, fellow new arrival Rajiv van La Parra and six established players in skipper Mark Hudson, left-back Jason Davidson, Phil Billing, Jonathan Hogg, Sean Scannell and Joe Lolley.
Along with Coleman and Smith, the only players to start the last two friendlies against Oldham and Liverpool were Lolley and Mooy, who impressed in both and looks a shoo in against Brentford.
In addition to the public friendlies, Town have won behind closed doors against Accrington Stanley and Rochdale. No-one has started all five games.
Town’s only defeat so far has come against Liverpool, but Bremen, with their seven new arrivals, will be a serious test under manager Viktor Skrypnyk.
