Championship Manager of the Season: Huddersfield Town’s David Wagner

Wonderful Wagner

Rafa Benitez and Chris Hughton deserve great credit for their work with Newcastle and Brighton respectively, who look set for automatic promotion. In terms of romanticism and overachievement however, their achievements will not quite match up to whoever collects a play-off winners’ medal come May.

Jaap Stam has re-kindled belief in possession play at Reading, Garry Monk has unified Leeds while Slavisa Jokanovic has built Fulham’s most creative side in years. The story of the season though, has been David Wagner’s Huddersfield Town.

Positive form in the second half of the previous campaign and fan-friendly ticket prices put fans in a positive mood in August, since which the club have never looked back. Having seen uninspiring football under Simon Grayson, Mark Robins and Chris Powell, they now watch a team that plays with energy, belief and quality that belies their low budget.

Full-backs Tommy Smith and Chris Loewe stretch the pitch, Aaron Mooy dictates the play, helped by the defensive support of Jonathan Hogg, while the attacking quartet rotates seamlessly. Arguably the Championship’s most exciting team to watch, the Terriers could attain top flight football for the first time in 45 years.

Key to potentially historic success, has been the sense of togetherness that Wagner and his coaching staff have cultivated.