Huddersfield Town manager Lee Grant eyeing up Man United raid | OneFootball

The Terriers will have a new-look coaching team next season under Grant

New Huddersfield Town boss Lee Grant is looking to add former Republic of Ireland defender Paul McShane to his backroom team at the John Smith's Stadium.

The Terriers concluded their long-standing search for Michael Duff's permanent successor on Wednesday evening, with the 42-year-old announced as the club's new manager ahead of the 2025/26 League One campaign.

Despite being newly-relegated from the Championship last term, the 2024/25 season was a disaster for all concerned in this particular part of West Yorkshire, with Town labouring to a 10th-place finish after a beyond dismal run in the final matches - two wins and 10 defeats in the final 12 games.

And, regardless of Grant's inexperience as the leading figure within the dugout, his coaching resume thus far and the messages which followed his departure from Ipswich Town as part of Kieran McKenna's backroom team will give supporters plenty of reasons to be optimistic as the new season is just two months away.

Lee Grant looking to add Manchester United figure to new-look Huddersfield Town setup

As part of the official club statement which came with confirmation of Grant's appointment as manager on a three-year contract earlier in the week, it was stated that details of the former Manchester United goalkeeper's new-look coaching team would follow in due course, and McShane's name has already entered the frame.

According to Alan Nixon, Grant is keen on the idea of seeing his former Old Trafford colleague move across the M62, with his first pre-season just weeks away from commencing.

The 39-year-old came through the Red Devils academy between 2002 and 2004 before signing professionally under Sir Alex Ferguson, and has since gone full circle, being a part of the setup which allows stars to come through the conveyor belt at Carrington.

McShane is currently the lead coach of United's Under-15's age group and is also assistant manager to Jim Crawford as part of the FAI's Under-21's setup, with the age group set to take on Croatia and Qatar in friendly matches after failing to qualify for the upcoming European Championship in Slovakia.

Nixon's report states that McShane could be interested in a switch to Huddersfield heading into the upcoming season, having also previously worked with the Under-23's and Under-18's setup in Manchester after he announced his retirement in May 2022.

He holds a UEFA Pro Licence, graduating from the required coaching course alongside the likes of Glenn Whelan and David Meyler 11 months ago.

As a player, the Wicklow-born man is best known for his time at West Bromwich Albion, Sunderland and Hull City, with the vast majority of his 416 appearances coming at the MKM Stadium between 2008 and 2015, becoming a cult hero at the MKM Stadium for a no-nonsense defensive approach as well as his iconic goal against Cardiff City in a promotion-clinching encounter in 2013.

Huddersfield Town will be expected to challenge for promotion next season

Regardless of who was set to take the reins, the likelihood is that Town would be among the expected promotion challengers next season after failing to deliver first time around.

According to ESTIMATED figures from Capology, the Yorkshire outfit had the second-largest wage bill in League One last season behind EFL points record breakers, Birmingham City, highlighting the failure in falling 14 points behind the play-off places above anything else.

Grant has been the subject of praise from Ipswich cult hero, Conor Chaplin, for playing a major part in the attacking dominance shown in East Anglia during the club's back-to-back promotions, in which 203 goals were scored over two seasons.

Therefore, with a plethora of attacking talent to work with, such as Joe Taylor, Dion Charles and Antony Evans as well as the creative forces of Lasse Sorensen and Herbie Kane, as well as the scope to further bolster the squad, it points towards an exciting season, although pressure is on owner, Kevin Nagle, to have nailed the fourth appointment of his tenure.