Davidson out to shine under Klopp's former assistant

Australia defender Jason Davidson is looking forward to a new German influence when he returns to club football from Socceroos duty next week, as one of Jurgen Klopp’s former right hand men promises to push him to the limit.

Jason Davidson believes Huddersfield coach David Wagner's high tempo approach suits him to a tee Source: Getty Images

Ex-Borussia Dortmund reserve team boss David Wagner, who opted to take the Huddersfield job rather than join Klopp at Anfield, became Huddersfield's fifth manager since chairman David Hoyle took command in 2009 when he replaced Chris Powell late last week.

Wagner watched from stands as Davidson and co lost 3-0 at home to Leeds United at the weekend - and promises to revitalise the struggling Championship club with "full throttle" football in the Dortmund mould, with an emphasis on ultra-fit players to carry out his battle plans.

Davidson, who must first help Australia pick up maximum points from their FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Kyrgyzstan on Thursday and Bangladesh five days later, is looking forward to the challenge of living up to Wagner’s high-octane ways.

“I was told that Klopp wanted him at Liverpool but he wanted the job here instead and I think it will be good, something different and maybe it will spice things up a bit,” he said.

“A new coach means everybody is on level playing field, and everybody has to start from scratch again.”

Wagner has also vowed all-out attack, something which was lacking under Powell, according to Hoyle.

It was one of the reasons he was shown the door with Huddersfield sitting now just two points off the relegation places.

“I am assuming the new boss is going to play a little bit how Klopp plays because of their experiences together at Dortmund," Davidson said.

"I expect it to be high pressing; similar to the national team, and hopefully that will be the case because it would suit me down to the ground."

Davidson admits he feels for Powell, the former England left-back who bought him to the club after his ill-fated spell with West Bromwich Albion.

“He was one of the main reasons I signed … he trusted me and I knew my place in the team, and it just shows how ruthless football can be," he added.

“In every club I’ve been at I’ve never had the same coach right through, it’s just part and parcel of the game and you just deal with it.”

Davidson is also prepared to deal with the prospect of travelling to Dhaka with his teammates to face Bangladesh amid terrorist threats to foreigners in the region.

“We believe the security team around the Socceroos are fantastic and do all their homework, and they won’t send us into a place which they consider too dangerous,” he said.

“In Tajikistan there were some deaths after some unrest before we got there and we were shielded away from everything ... I think it will be quite similar to that in Bangladesh.

Davidson is feeling fitter than ever with 18 games under his belt, including internationals, since heading to Yorkshire for a fresh start.

“The Championship is cut-throat and physically more demanding. It’s toughened me up and has developed a different side of my game.”