Neil Warnock highlights key missing quality Ben Wiles will bring to Huddersfield Town
Wiles joined Town from Rotherham United late last week
Terriers boss Neil Warnock hopes that new arrival Ben Wiles can help his struggling side turn their fortunes around after their winless start to the season extended to a fifth game with a four-goal home defeat to Norwich City.
The midfielder was not eligible to take part at the John Smith’s Stadium as Huddersfield Town missed Friday’s midday cut-off to get Wiles registered by mere moments, but he will be in line to make his debut in next week’s trip to face West Bromwich Albion.
Warnock hinted that Wiles is likely to take the reins Brahima Diarra in attacking midfield, saying: “Ben’s a player I’ve chased for a long time, and we need that sort of energy – and he’s got a pattern in him as well, so I’m looking forward to him. I’m disappointed that I’m told it was 12:01 when we registered him, but that’s life.”
The manager added: “He gives us options – he’s a good player. We’re asking Diarra to do a job because we’ve nobody else with David Kasumu out as well, so we’re filling in. I can’t fault a young lad (Diarra) – he’s still learning his trade. It’ll help having Ben in and hopefully we get another striker before the window closes
“There’s a lot to come from him (Wiles), he’s only 24. As you know, [Rotherham] turned down a massive offer last year from Burnley – I was talking to him, he was gutted. I said ‘and they got promotion, you’d have been on 40 grand now Ben, in the Premier League!’. ‘Don’t rub it in gaffer’, he said.
He’s a good lad, he’s a nice lad. I’m looking forward to working with him and he gave me a lift this week, because it’s nice to get players that you know are going to make a good contribution and he gives us other options.
“At the minute we’re very, very limited on what options we’ve got. Tom Lees hopefully will come back after the international break, and David Kasumu, which gives us a little bit more.”
