Huddersfield Town head coach Michael Duff is awaiting the green light from Wolverhampton Wanderers before reintegrating midfielder Joe Hodge into his matchday squad.
The 22-year-old joined the Terriers on a season-long loan from Premier League outfit Wolves in August. He made his debut just three days later, coming on as a second half substitute and scoring in the 2-1 defeat to Rotherham United.
Hodge featured in Huddersfield’s next six league outings but suffered a groin injury in early October which rule him out for approximately two-and-a-half months. It was a cruel blow for the ex-Manchester City youngster, with the setback coinciding with Republic of Ireland under-21s Euro 2025 qualifiers against Norway and Italy.
Huddersfield Injury Problems
Huddersfield have suffered several injury problems throughout the campaign, with Hodge a number of first team stars to hit the treatment table. However, this has not stopped them hitting a run of form currently on a 10-game unbeaten run and lying fourth in League One.
This shows the strength in depth that Duff will have at his disposal in the coming months. Hodge looks to be the latest star set to return, with the former Barnsley boss admitting parent club Wolves want to assess the player before he returns to first team action. Speaking via Yorkshire Live prior to tonight’s trip to Cambridge United, he said:
“I think Wolves want to see him again in a week. But he is training, modified at the minute, he is on the grass, he is with the lads. He is going in as a floater and things like that. He is looking good. He is looking really sharp and strong.
“He is absolutely chomping at the bit which is why Wolves are sort of slightly hesitant, because he has had this problem before, that he is so desperate to play, he ends up damaging himself. Sometimes, the players are their own worst enemy. So they are just protecting their asset, something we have to respect. We are in constant dialogue with them. I spoke to Steve Davis, their loans manager. He came in a couple of weeks ago and I spoke to him last week. He is probably the next one back in.”
Writer’s View
This will be music to Huddersfield fan’s ears. Hodge was always pencilled in for a late-December return, so to learn he is still on track is a major boost for the Yorkshire outfit. With the busy festive period about to kick off, having an extra number will only aid their bid for promotion. It’ll be interesting to see if the midfielder features before the end of the month, with games against Stockport County and Burton Albion scheduled before the start of the New Year.
