Huddersfield Town head coach Carlos Corberan remains level-headed about the pressures of his job as scrutiny intensifies following a poor run of form.
The Terriers are on an eight-match winless streak in all competitions since the turn of the year, which has seen them slip to 18th in the Championship table, five points clear of the relegation zone.
That recent run, and especially the abysmal surrender at home to Wycombe Wanderers last weekend which saw them lose 3-2, has put pressure on Corberan’s job for the first time.
The Spaniard took on his first major senior coaching role in accepting the Huddersfield job last summer, and it is the most difficult spell of his time in charge so far.
However, he said ahead of tonight’s trip to Middlesbrough that he expected to have challenging periods like this one and understood the pressure as just part of the job.
“If I am honest with you, I expected to have during this year some moments like this,” he said in his pre-match press conference. “For me it’s not a surprise to have consecutive defeats because I knew it could be part of the journey that we could have.
“Of course you enjoy it a lot when you are winning the games and everyone (says good things). Now when you are doing exactly the same, (they say) you don’t know tactics, you don’t know football, you can never coach in your life.
“I am calm, I know that these types of results can happen during the year. I know they’re not nice moments to live, especially because I want our fans to be proud of the team.
“We need to face our circumstances in the best way that we can face them. I am going to face these circumstances being realistic and knowing how hard it is to get the results.
“When you face this kind of adversity, you are going to feel stronger because it’s a clear challenge for us.”
With the team edging closer and closer to the relegation zone in recent weeks, Corberan knows that the slide must be arrested soon if he is to remain in situ at a club whose ambitions are greater than battling to stay in the Championship.
Having sometimes not seen their performances rewarded by results, the Wycombe defeat at the weekend was especially concerning, the result of a dire defensive performance which saw them deservedly lose a two-goal lead against the division’s poorest side.
Never has a quick turnaround been more welcome and Corberan is pleased to have the chance to put things right at Middlesbrough, where Jaden Brown could return to contention.
“I think it’s positive when we are playing fast because what everyone wants to do now is play again and change the feeling that we had after the last game,” he said.”
