Shot-stopper with prior experience Lee Nicholls is pleased with his form for Huddersfield Town and enjoys working with new goalkeeping coach Adriano Basso.
Lee Nicholls has proven to be one of Huddersfield Town’s top free transfer signings this century. The goalkeeper shone in his first season with the club, helping the Terriers reach the Championship play-off final.
Nicholls’ participation was limited last season due to shoulder injury, but he returned at the conclusion of the season to help Town get out of difficulty. Despite this, he made 28 league starts and had a string of excellent performances.
Nicholls made a number of uncommon errors that resulted to goals in the early part of the 2023/24 season, even by his own high standards. His erroneous performances prompted then-manager Neil Warnock to speculate that Nicholls had been distracted by the summer transfer window’s low murmur of speculations. Several Premier League clubs were looking for a new goalkeeper.
Was Nicholls unsettled by the transfer talk? “It (speculation) is just noise at the end of the day,” he said. “I know there was a bit of news around it and stuff, but it was nothing.
“It was all kept in house and all done behind closed doors. It is what it is, you move on and I am just happy I am back in the fold and playing well and helping the team take points.”
After a shaky start, Nicholls has rediscovered his best form. He pulled off crucial saves against West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City to help Town pick up valuable points on the road.
New manager Darren Moore labelled Nicholls “one of the best” goalkeepers in the division after he acquitted himself well again in Saturday’s pulsating draw with Ipswich Town. Nicholls told Yorkshire Live: “I didn’t know that he had said that but it is always nice to hear stuff like that from anyone, especially the manager who picks the team and works with you every day. It is very flattering.
“I go out to work hard every single day. If people want to say that, I am flattered by it.
“I am here to do my job, work hard and do my best for the football club.
“I feel sharp again and I am where I want to be but there are still things that I want to improve.”
Moore takes his side to Birmingham City tonight still seeking his first win since replacing Warnock in the managerial hot-seat. Successive draws with Coventry City and Ipswich has given Moore and Town something to build on.
On Moore, Nicholls said: “He is relaxed. He sets us up well. You can see there’s more to come. We haven’t had that much time on the training pitch because of the games we have played.
“It’s exciting. It has been tough for the boys as a squad going from Warnock as we were on a good run but I am proud of the boys and the way we have stuck together. We have carried on doing our thing.
“It has been awkward too for the gaffer coming in but he has come in and has impressed the boys. He has impressed everyone around the club. I can’t wait to get a little more time on the training pitch so he can get his ideas across to us.”
The affable Liverpudlian said he is “really pleased” with his own form but added: “There are still a few things that I need to brush up on.
“Adriano (Basso, Town’s goalkeeping coach) and I have already spoken and something that we are going to work towards is taking my game to the next level. I want to help the team win games. I can’t complain with where I am at the moment.”
Nicholls has worked under four different goalkeeping coaches since moving to the John Smith’s Stadium in May 2021. “Every goalkeeping coach is different,” he said. “It is such a unique position.
“There will be differences and things will change, but I’ve been fortunate in that every coach I’ve had has been top-drawer and ultimately a top person, and I’ve learned a lot from everyone.”
“I know it’s new with Adriano, but hopefully it’ll work in the future.”
“If I had to describe Adriano in one word, it would be passionate.” He goes into great length about several topics. He is always looking for the finest and is quite demanding.”
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