Opinion: Huddersfield Town off-field decision has increased chances of relegation | OneFootball

Long term planning is a huge part of running an EFL club these days, and there is certainly a clear structure in place at Huddersfield Town.

In a very difficult financial climate moving out of their period in receipt of parachute payments in the Championship, Huddersfield Town have conducted some excellent transfer business in the last year or so without significant financial outlay.

That looked to be taking them in the right direction before Carlos Corberan left the club with only weeks remaining before the 2022/23 season and the Terriers now find themselves in the midst of a relegation battle.

Ante-post relegation favourites Reading, Birmingham City, Rotherham United and Wigan Athletic have all made promising starts to the campaign which has led to doubts over the Terriers’ credentials to stay in the league, after failing to replace the quality in their squad off the back of the departures of Lewis O’Brien and Harry Toffolo to Nottingham Forest.

Danny Ward and Sorba Thomas have not yet hit the heights that they did under Corberan, and Danny Schofield was dismissed from the dugout just eight games into the Championship season.

In replacing Schofield, the Terriers have controversially opted for another untested manager in very pressurised circumstances.

Mark Fotheringham will take on his first managerial role in senior football on a three-year deal to replace Schofield.

The 38-year-old has had very limited success in an up and down coaching career, mainly taking place in German football below the top-flight, and the club are gambling with their second tier status by hiring him.

Assistant manager at Hertha Berlin is Fotheringham’s most recent role, Hertha stayed up by the skin of their teeth via the relegation play-off last term after another underwhelming campaign.

Quiz: Have any of these 20 current or ex-Huddersfield Town players ever played for a German club?

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TERENCE KONGOLO

YES NO

Without judging Fotheringham too much before seeing his stamp on the Huddersfield team, it is hard to pinpoint what on his CV has convinced the Terriers that he is the person to steer them out of tricky waters at the moment and choosing not to bring in a more experienced replacement for Schofield may well become a decision that they live to regret.

The Terriers know a lot more about appointments and Fotheringham than those from the outside looking in, but it does feel like they are playing with a fire and in a way, arguably accepting the fact that this season may result in relegation.

There is a strong core of players in the squad, an excellent supporter base behind the club and the talent to grind out results at the level, however with the uncertainty of this appointment they may already be swimming against the tide.