Mark Hudson’s communication skills and fighting qualities are why he’s back in Huddersfield Town’s defence against Newcastle United.
The 34-year-old centre-back was left out of the squad for the midweek EFL Cup trip to Shrewsbury after helping Town kick-off the season with a 2-1 win at home to Brentford.
Head coach David Wagner confirmed the man who has just signed a new three-year contract to take him into coaching with the club will have the armband at St James’ Park.
And he was happy to spell out why.
WATCH: David Wagner gives an injury update ahead of Newcastle match
“As long as nothing extra-ordinary happens to him, Mark Hudson is fit and fresh and he will be back in the starting XI to lead us out,” said Wagner, who will have Harry Bunn (hamstring) and Phil Billing (ankle) back in training on Sunday.
“With his experience he knows how to handle different situations on the pitch and he knows how to communicate that to people.
“He knows how to make people relax and he knows how to make people accelerate the game when they have to.
“He is able to deliver these messages to all the players and it’s important to have someone in this position.
“It’s important, also, that he has quality and Huddy is strong in the air, he is a great defender one-on-one and he will make sure it’s very tight.
“Newcastle have quick and mobile people and we don’t want them to have too much space.”
Wagner revealed his coaching staff have dissected the Shrewsbury defeat and highlighted what went wrong.
“We have to build up a fighting zone against Newcastle and Huddy is a real fighter,” he continued of the club captain.
“He feels a responsibility not only for himself but for the whole team – he is very unselfish.
WATCH: Wagner speaks about Town's trip to Newcastle United
“After signing his new contract, he knows he will be a big part of the next three years here and also of developing the atmosphere in the squad, which is very, very good.
“He is an important player for me on the pitch, but also off it as well and we are very happy to have him.”
So what did go wrong in the 2-1 Cup defeat against Shrewsbury and what have Wagner and his staff done to put it right?
“I thought the first half against Shrewsbury was good – it was almost exactly what we had done in both halves against Brentford and the only problem was we didn’t take the chances,” he explained.
WATCH: David Wagner believes his side must be more clinical
“In the second half, though, we didn’t continue to do these good things any longer.
“We didn’t keep the ball and we didn’t move enough without the ball.
“We made things too complicated and we didn’t have good balance after we lost the ball to avoid the counters.
“For me this was simple stuff we have spoken about and it’s why I was angry about the defeat, because our problems were caused by ourselves for one half of football when we have played three good halves before that.”
