Duff criticises Huddersfield's 'soft underbelly'

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Prior to this week Huddersfield Town had not lost back-to-back home games in League One since September 2008

Huddersfield Town boss Michael Duff has said the team are struggling to deal with adversity after they suffered successive home defeats in League One.

The Terriers fell to a 3-1 reverse by Northampton Town on Saturday and lost 2-0 to Blackpool on Tuesday.

"It was a tough watch for everyone involved," he told 麻豆社 Radio Leeds.

"There's a couple of things there that, without wanting to be too damning, I don't think it's an accident that our best two performances have come away from home."

He added: "There seems to be a soft underbelly where, when things go wrong, people get stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"We've gone from the Bolton game [4-0 away win] to today where we can't take a set play, can't take a throw in, can't win a duel...

"We've conceded five of the worst goals you'll ever see in a week. They've got 10 men on the pitch when the first goal goes in and it was the 50th minute of the first half for the second one, just kick it down the pitch.

"We've found decision-making under pressure tough here. The most disappointing bit is the reaction to adversity."

Duff became Town's sixth permanent boss in two years when he took over at the John Smith's Stadium in the summer after they were relegated from the Championship.

Despite back-to-back defeats the Terriers are fifth in League One with four wins and three losses from their first seven games.

The former Barnsley boss said it is his job to get to the bottom of their inconsistent performances.

"I got the job because the team was relegated and that tells you there's something wrong at the football club.

"We're seven games in and it never happens overnight. You've got to ride it out. You've got to find out who is going to come on the journey and who isn't.

"The players have got to find that out as well. That's not just the 11 that started today because there's been a couple of cup games where the team has changed completely and the same thing has happened. It's something at the football club that we need to eradicate and weed out.

"It's trying to put our finger on where the self-doubt in the group comes from."