What on earth is going on at the John Smith’s Stadium?
Three weeks after Huddersfield Town sacked Jan Siewert, confusion still reigns at the former Premier League club over the name of his successor.
Siewert was appointed last season to take over from David Wagner, who had taken the Terriers up into the top flight two years previously but felt he couldn’t carry on with his team destined for the drop. The new boss was an incredibly inexperienced manager parachuted into an impossible situation. The players knew they were doomed for relegation when he took over and appeared reluctant to put in any real effort. The fans, already dispirited, were still mourning the loss of the beloved Wagner and even the board that had appointed Siewert refused to back him after a terrible start to life back in the EFL.
Siewert had been given just seven months to put a stamp onto his squad and that was never going to be enough time but now the West Yorkshire side are searching for a new manager and, so far, the search has proved fruitless.
Has Cowley had a change of mind?
Lincoln’s Danny Cowley has now been re-installed as Betvictor’s 1/4 favourite after appearing to reject an approach last week. Cowley, who works in tandem with brother Nicky at Sincil Bank, has guided the Imps from the National Conference to the upper reaches of League 1 in three years. But he appeared to rule out a switch to the Championship side last week, reaffirming his allegiance to City.
However, maybe the fact that his current team appear to have hit the buffers in recent matches may have persuaded him to change his mind. The situation was further clouded when it was widely reported that former Southampton and Hull manager Nigel Adkins had been offered and accepted the role, only for that information to be later denied by all parties concerned.
Huddersfield are on a 16-match winless run so a major rebuilding task is in order with fans fearing a drop through the divisions as dramatic as their elevation to the Premier League. Adkins still features in the Next Huddersfield Manager betting at a general 12/1 but bookmakers obviously think that the Cowleys have performed a u-turn and are prepared to swap a League 1 promotion push for a Championship relegation battle.
The other main name in the frame is Barnsley’s Daniel Stendel (5/1 with Betvictor). Like Wagner and Siewert, Stendel is a German coach who has had an understated career. But he did lead the Tykes to promotion from League 1 last season, though his team are finding it tough in the division above this term, like Huddersfield. Town chairman Phil Hodgkinson is also thought to be interested in trying to tempt Neil Harris away from his beloved Millwall. However, as is the case with other managers currently employed, there would be compensation to be paid.
Next Permanent Huddersfield Manager Odds
Danny Cowley 1/4
Daniel Stendel 5/1
Nigel Adkins 12/1
Neil Harris 14/1
Lee Bowyer, Mark Hudson, Phil Parkinson and Gary Rowett 33/1
Mike Tullberg, Manuel Baum, Gianfranco Zola, Gus Poyet, Chris Hughton, Chris Coleman, David Moyes, Aitor Karanka, Nigel Pearson and Sol Campbell 50/1
(Odds correct at 10.45am September 9)
