Huddersfield Town are now considering an approach for repeat promotion winner Paul Warne or Brian Barry-Murphy, after previously naming caretaker manager Jon Worthington as manager until the end of the season.
Despite suffering six defeats in their last eight league outings, promotion back to The Championship can still be salvaged from Huddersfield Town’s season, as the Terriers still sit eighth in the League One table only two points adrift of the play-off positions.
After parting ways with former Barnsley and Cheltenham Town boss Michael Duff back in February, the West Yorkshire club announced that club legend Jon Worthington would take charge of the club on a temporary basis until the end of the season.
However, with recent form seeing Huddersfield trail in the race for promotion, it appears that the club could be seeking to announce Duff’s permanent replacement before the end of the league season.
Daily Mail reporter Mike Keegan has stated on X that Huddersfield Town are now considering moves for serial promotion winner Paul Warne and Manchester City youth team coach Brian Barry-Murphy.
A Plan?
As previously mentioned, an immediate return to The Championship is still on the line for Town in their remaining seven league fixtures.
The appointment of Paul Warne would carry the potential to make Huddersfield a serious candidate for promotion in the remainder of the campaign.
Having won automatic promotion at the level only last year with Derby County and on three different occasions with Rotherham United – once through the play-offs, Warne’s management has never translated to Championship level.
February saw Warne relieved of his duties at Derby County, with the club sat firmly in the Championship relegation zone.
The appointment of Warne may suggest a desire for short term success to see the club’s promotion aspirations over the line in the business end of the campaign with a serial-promotion winner at the helm.
On the other hand, the potential approach for Brian Barry-Murphy implies a development-based approach – having been renowned for his expansive style during his spell at Rochdale while also coaching in the Manchester City youth set-up.
With the two candidates presenting vastly different backgrounds, it is unclear to see the vision Huddersfield are intending for.
The return of a club legend?
Mike Keegan’s report on X vaguely stated that club legend David Wagner “would return at right moment – now not that time.”
The American coach’s four-year spell in West Yorkshire saw the Terriers lift an unlikely promotion through the Championship play-offs in the 2016/17 season, defying the odds further with a 16th-placed finish in the Premier League the following campaign.
Wagner has been out of a job since his Norwich City side were eliminated from the play-offs at the hands of Leeds United last season.
With Wagner’s stock high amongst the Huddersfield Town faithful, fans may be apprehensive about a return with the former manager’s legacy still intact.
All still to play for…
With the final play-off spot in League One still under contention, the task at hand for any coach moving to Huddersfield could prove difficult.
With the side on the back of two-straight defeats with fixtures against promotion-chasing Stockport County and Wycombe Wanderers remaining on the fixture list, a new coach in the dugout at this stage of the season could become a defining factor for the club, during both this campaign and for the one approaching.