Philip Billing sees the FA Cup as a vital springboard to him helping Huddersfield Town’s battle for Premier League points over the next three months.
The 21-year-old Danish midfielder has made just one cameo Cup appearance since the middle of October because of a right ankle injury which required surgery.
His damaged joint was placed in a cast for two weeks and, since then, he’s been grafting in the gym to get back as quickly as possible - indeed, ahead of schedule.
Billing’s performances on the PPG Canalside training ground of late have impressed boss David Wagner enough to not only welcome him like a ‘new signing’, but also to declare the 6ft 5in playmaker a strong contender for the fourth-round starting line-up against Birmingham City at the John Smith’s Stadium.
“I’m feeling good after my surgery, I’ve been back training for three, three-and-a-half weeks, and I can’t wait to get back playing really,” said the popular creator, who possesses a ferocious shot.
“Injuries happen and there’s not much you can do about it, so you just have to stay positive, work hard to get back and aim to be better – and that’s what I’ve been trying to do.
“Hopefully I can get back and help the team to survive and get points on the board.”
Billing, who has been with Town since the age of 16, acknowledges the competition for places and is determined to win his stripes.
“We have good players in the squad and whoever gets picked has to deliver,” he explained.
“Personally I think I can help the team, but it’s not just about me, it’s about the whole team.
“It’s not been the best period, but we have to stick together, we know how we want to play, we know the ‘Terriers Identity’ and if we just stick to it, I am sure we will get points.”
Billing says he has made the most of having to watch Town’s matches from the stands by studying teams and players, not just his own colleagues but opposition as well.
He’s also thought about a more disciplined approach to some of his challenges on the pitch which may help to prevent injuries in the future.
For now, though, he has only the FA Cup clash with Birmingham on his mind, before aiming to play a key role in Town’s remaining 14 league matches.
“Birmingham are a Championship side and we’ve been in the Championship, so we know what it’s about,” he said.
“We have to go into this Cup-tie like any other game, looking to win.
“We need to win games now, starting with this one (against Birmingham), because going forward we need to pick up some wins and pick up some points.
“The lads always have confidence in the squad, but winning games gives you more confidence – especially after some not-so-good results – and we need to make sure we get on top of that.”
So what impact can the FA Cup have, and can Town go all the way?
“If you look a few seasons back, Leicester City won the Premier League, so I think everything is possible in football,” he smiled.
“So I believe you can never say never. It’s football.
“All we can do is go in with a positive mind, go in to win the game and take it from there.”
Billing admits to watching the English game as a youngster and taking note of the Cup and how much it meant to people.
“The FA Cup always looked a big competition and it would be nice to play at Wembley,” said Billing.
“Last season I was injured and didn’t get to play there (in the play-off final), so to get to Wembley in the FA Cup would be really big.
“But we have to focus on one game at a time and look no further than trying to win against Birmingham.
“Hopefully for me I will get picked for my first game back and we want to win and we want to stay in the FA Cup.
“Of course the Premier League is our main focus, but everybody goes into this game ready to win and to do our best.
“With the league, we realise not everybody gets the chance to play in the Premier League and we have to make sure we focus and work hard to stay in the Premier League.
“That’s what we are now focused on doing.”
To round off, Billing spoke of the influence of Aaron Mooy.
“Aaron has been terrific the whole season, and last season as well,” he said.
“Of course he is going to be tired because he has played every game and, in the summer when we had a little break, he was with Australia.
“He is an important player for us and, if I come in for him in some games, I have to make sure I deliver for the team and we get a win.”
