"I'd welcome him" - Huddersfield Town backed for David Wagner reunion | OneFootball

FLW's Huddersfield Town fan pundit discussed a potential reunion with David Wagner

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Huddersfield Town have been told to strike an emotional reunion with former boss David Wagner, who has been linked with the job in recent bookmakers' odds, following the sacking of Michael Duff.

The 2024/25 League One campaign has hardly gone to plan for the Terriers, who were relegated from the Championship last time out and had been widely-tipped to plot an immediate return.

While they remain very much in the play-off reckoning, Town are currently outside of the division's top-six and will now be led by interim head coach Jon Worthington for the remainder of the season.

Worthington has temporarily succeeded Michael Duff after the former Barnsley and Swansea City boss, who had only been appointed last summer, was relieved of his duties following Saturday's 1-0 defeat to lowly Bristol Rovers.

There is already discourse surrounding who could be in line to potentially take the reins in the summer, though, and Wagner is one name currently doing the rounds.

The German boss is currently out of work after being sacked in the wake of Norwich City's defeat to Leeds United in last season's Championship play-offs and is featuring high in certain bookmaker's odds.

That has to be taken with a pinch of salt, of course, but it has prompted supporters to wonder whether Wagner will be returning to West Yorkshire. The 53-year-old remains a hugely popular figure at Huddersfield, having guided the Terriers to a shock first-ever Premier League promotion in 2017 before keeping them up for one season against all odds.

Huddersfield Town verdict offered on potential David Wagner reunion

FLW asked our Terriers fan pundit, Graeme Rayner, whether he would welcome a potential return for Wagner.

Graeme expressed doubt over just how realistic any re-appointment of Wagner would really be, but would be eager to see the popular ex-boss return to the dugout for next season.

"If David Wagner comes back to Town, it's potentially heart ruling head," Graeme told FLW.

"I think the challenge is he's never hit the heights he did with us elsewhere, and I suppose the question is would he drop to League One?

"If he were to be appointed, it would be a shrewd move in a lot of respects in terms of PR and the mood around the club, so I think that fans would react well on the whole to the prospect of him coming back.

"But would he come and does he risk tarnishing his status as a bit of a club legend, because he's the guy that got us up to the Premier League? I don't know, it's a really difficult one.

"I will say I'm a huge fan of Wagner, he's great and I think he united the club in a way I haven't seen at any other point in the 20-odd years I've been following them. The feel-good factor for two whole seasons - the season we got promoted and the season we survived - was immense.

"Yes, the wheels fell off in the third season, but that wasn't only him. But what he achieved was fantastic.

"If we brought him back, I'd welcome him, but part of me also thinks it's time to look somewhere new, but we've done that several times and it hasn't worked so try and bring him back."

Huddersfield Town's upcoming fixtures

Huddersfield have a tricky end-of-season run-in to contend with, and Worthington will face many challenges as he bids to potentially earn the job full-time.

Saturday afternoon's clash at home to 22nd-placed Crawley Town feels like a must-win for Huddersfield, who will then face a resurgent Charlton Athletic side threatening to knock on the door of the automatic promotion spots following the international break.

After that, Huddersfield still have the likes of Wycombe Wanderers, Stockport County and Leyton Orient to play before the season is up. With Wycombe currently in second and Stockport also occupying a play-off spot at this moment in time, Huddersfield could find it difficult to pick up too many points and reignite their bid for a finish inside the top-six.

The Yorkshire side have lost four of their last five outings and must turn around their form quickly to have any chance at trying their hand for a swift Championship return via the play-offs, which may be their only way of potentially returning Wagner as it's so difficult to envisage him managing in the third-tier.