Florent Hadergjonaj spoke today, after signing a permanent Huddersfield Town contact, to preview the crucial Premier League home fixture against Swansea City as well as his new deal.
Huddersfield are in a “good period” ahead of crucial back-to-back home fixtures
The Terriers have produced five good performances in recent games, and this should give them confidence against the Welsh side.
“I think we in a good period. We play very, very well [in] the last games. Now we have two home games – we are very strong at home. We try our best and if we win now on the weekend then it looks very good,” ‘Flo’ said.
Huddersfield have back-to-back home games coming up before the international break, and Hadergjonaj commented: “Then the next home game against [Crystal] Palace. Then comes the international break – I think that we can just break a little bit, but it's a very important now this game – to focus fully on this game.”
“It’s an important game for us,” he added.
The players will need the fans in the John Smith’s Stadium to push them on Saturday, as they can play a crucial role in fixtures by encouraging the team.
“It’s always a great atmosphere. It doesn’t matter if we play against Swansea or Man United – it's always a big atmosphere,” the 23-year-old stated.
“With our supporters behind us we can get these three points,” he added.
When asked if this game was an opportunity to show Swansea the ‘real’ Huddersfield, the Swiss man said: “Yeah but I think Swansea are also playing good football now.”
Swansea struggled at the start of the season under manager Paul Clement, but since the appointment of Carlos Carvalhal, they have flourished: “They are playing very well. We know that – we analysed them,” he said.
“It’s important that it’s our game – how we want to play, our game plan what the manager told us. This is important that we play our football and in the end, we will see,” admitted Hadergjonaj.
Flo is a “real, real Terrier” after signing permanent deal
Hadergjonaj joined the West Yorkshire club last summer on loan from FC Ingolstadt 04. It has now been announced that Huddersfield have triggered the clause for him to become a permanent squad member once the transfer window reopens on 1st July.
He has signed a three-year deal, with the option of a further year.
When asked if he is delighted by this, he said: “Yes, of course. I am very, very delighted. I am also very proud. It’s a big moment in my life and my career, and I am looking forward to this moment.”
“I’m a real, real Terrier! I’m very happy.”
Flo went on to thank all those who have been involved in this agreement – his family, teammates, staff and manager David Wagner.
He also thanked the fans and said: “I have received a lot of messages and it very, very nice to see how much love you get from these people.”
When asked what Wagner said to him about his seven months at the club and his new contract, Flo commented: “I had a really good conversation at the beginning [of the season] with David.”
He then added that Wagner admitted: “It’s not going to be so, so easy that I come and straight play.”
Flo didn’t join until late August, and so missed all the pre-season training with Town, as well as the first two league fixtures: “It’s always like this when you do a late transfer.”
“But I think its really happy. I’ve done my job, and also what he wants and what he thinks about me, about my football,” said the versatile Swiss defender, who has also shown he can play in central midfield.
In recent weeks, Flo has been the first choice right-back, ahead of club captain Tommy Smith, as he has shown his quality out on the pitch.
“I’m very happy – at the beginning, it was not so easy, but now I think I adapted very well.”
He then praises his teammates: “Also the teammates make it easy for me to adapt very, very quickly in Huddersfield.”