NO LIMITS

A reflection on the fantastic Wagner era at Huddersfield

The date is October 5th 2015. It has been just 3 and a half weeks since Jurgen Klopp has joined Liverpool from Borussia Dortmund, and little old Huddersfield Town sat miserably in 18th in the Championship table following the sacking of Chris Powell.

Who would be the next coach? Of course all of the usual suspects were linked, but chairman Dean Hoyle chose ex-Dortmund II coach David Wagner as his new head coach.

“David’s football philosophy is directly in line with ours; he fits for what we need,” Hoyle told HTAFC.

“It is a new departure for us. He will be head coach; he is the club’s first from outside the UK and Ireland and he brings a new approach and new ideas.

“In his own words, and as we hope will be seen in practice, his playing style echoes the one that has brought Borussia Dortmund such success over the last five years.”

Although in his first season he guided the Terriers to a 19th placed finish, it was his next season which would really define both himself and Huddersfield’s modern history.

He brought in thirteen players in the summer of 2016, including Christopher Schindler, Danny Ward on loan and notably the loan deal for Aaron Mooy from Manchester City, later becoming a permanent deal for the Blue and White army.

After an unbeaten start to proceedings in the Championship in 16/17 leaving them top at the end of September, everybody still thought they would tail off towards the hectic new year schedule and into 2017. Their most memorable victory of that unbeaten start was at St James’s Park, against promotion favourites Newcastle. This only happened on the second matchday of the new season though!

An incredible year for the Terriers with considerably less resources than the teams in and around them saw a 5th placed finish and a match-up against Carlos Carvalhal’s Sheffield Wednesday for a chance to play at Wembley in a game worth potentially £170m. No pressure!

They drew 0–0 in a drab fixture at the John Smith’s Stadium, with Huddersfield’s hopes looking glum as Wednesday’s home form looked to prevail.

The nomadic Scot Steven Fletcher struck first for Wednesday. 1–0. 51 minutes. 22 minutes later though and the travelling fans were in jubilation. A scuffed Nakhi Wells effort was turned into his own net by Tom Lees and it was 1–1. And it would stay that way until penalties, with Wallace and Forestieri coming close for the Owls.

Taking first, all four of Huddersfield’s takers (Lowe, Hefele, Wells, Mooy) scored with Hutchinson missing for Wednesday. They were 4–3 up going into the final spot kicks.

Jack Payne stepped up, and his effort was denied by an acrobatic Keiren Westwood. Wednesday has survived, but not for long as their diminutive Italian Fernando Forestieri had his effort saved by Ward. Town had made it to Wembley!

Jaap Stam and Reading were the opponents, having finished in third behind Newcastle and Brighton in the Championship table. The Royals were missing skipper Paul McShane through suspension, but had key striker Yann Kermorgant ready and raring to go.

The game was highly pressured, you could tell. Kermorgant came closest with a header but in all honesty it was poor from both sides. But who can blame them? It would be penalties again for Hoyle, Wagner and Huddersfield. They were in safe hands with their Welsh stopper Ward though.

Going the correct way every penalty, Ward finally cancelled out Michael Hefele’s miss on their second by denying Liam Moore in Reading’s 4th. Mooy subsequently tucked home the following penalty to level it at 3–3.

Young winger Jordan Obita stepped up, but was again denied by a flying Ward, forecasting the ball’s aim yet again. The crowd went berserk but it was down to Christopher Schindler, the man of the match, to win it for them.

He, as if it was no fuss, rolled the ball into the bottom left corner, sending Terriers’ into raptures. The impossible was complete!

~ David Wagner 2017

On Huddersfield’s promotion it was as much hard work as elation when it came to Dean Hoyle. They simply had to be active in the transfer market, and were when immediately securing Aaron Mooy permanently, their talisman in 16/17. They also signed Steve Mounie from Ligue 1, Laurent Depoitre, Jonas Lossl and eventually Terence Kongolo and Alex Pritchard.

They were vast favourites to plummet straight back down to the second tier and faced an immediate test in Frank de Boer’s Crystal Palace side, fresh with a new possession-based style and new signings. After all, they made it look a little too easy. 38% possession didn’t mean anything when you saw Palace 0–3 Huddersfield on the scoreboard. Two strikes from new boy Mounie and an own goal from Joel Ward saw Town romp back to West Yorkshire at the top of the Premier League table.

This would be a highlight for Huddersfield, but August in total was fantastic. They ended up picking up seven points out of nine without conceding a goal.

There was one night in the season which will live so long in the memory of Wagner and his adoring fans though and that came on a wet windy night in October.

Visiting side Manchester United had an unbeaten start but still trailed Pep Guardiola’s Man City by five points, and this was the chance to close that gap to two.

The John Smith’s was just bouncing and noise vibrated across the arena so much that it galvanised the Terriers into making the first move. A fizzed shot from Tom Ince was finished on the rebound by Aaron Mooy. The lead was doubled just 5 minutes later when Laurent Depoitre rounded David de Gea to make it 2.

Rashford pulled back a consolation for Mourinho’s side but it wasn’t enough, seeing the Terriers’ first win over Man Utd since 1952. This result typified the miracle season they went on to have, finishing 16th after incredible away draws at both the Etihad and Stamford Bridge.

Wagner had not only achieved the unthinkable once. He’d done it twice.

Surely it wouldn’t happen again with the ever increasing strength of the Premier League. Huddersfield did strengthen in the summer, bringing in Diakhaby, Mbenza and Bacuna to name a few, but it just didn’t seem enough.

With just 2 wins and 11 points from 22 matches, it hasn’t been their best. Their only wins came in October, obviously their lucky month, up against fellow promoted sides Fulham and Wolves. It would get too much for anyone to handle, especially with the legacy Wagner had created.

In the end it was the correct decision. Wagner agreed to leave via mutual consent on the 13th January, with chairman Hoyle speaking nothing but praise and leaving the whole footballing world saddened by the unfortunate ending to this wonderful fairytale. But wouldn’t it be great if they stayed up!

I can’t see it though, and I am unsure of who’s ready to take the reigns at the Kirklees. There’s the usual suspects, your Moyes, your Allardyce, but something tells me they may follow a similar model to previous. Maybe Daniel Farke of Norwich or Alex Neil of Preston would be good appointments.

Finally, a last tribute to Wagner. You have done the unthinkable with this football club and inspired a lot of people. Be proud, take a rest, and be ready for a bigger club next time because you will be in demand!

Want to see more of these types of articles? Interact on Twitter @ChrisStonadge ,on Facebook at ‘Stonadge’s Sporting Medium’, or give me an email at ssmediumblogs@gmail.com.

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