4 managers Huddersfield Town should target in the summer to replace Michael Duff | OneFootball

Huddersfield Town will have time to pick a new manager, with an interim in place until the summer

Huddersfield Town are on the hunt for a new manager following the dismissal of Michael Duff at the weekend.

With Huddersfield choosing to go down the route of an interim manager until the end of the campaign, the Terriers will have a few months to identify their ideal candidate.

Here are four potential coaches Football League World believe Huddersfield should target for their managerial vacancy.

Luke Williams

Out of work manager with clear identity

Under Duff, Huddersfield were quite pragmatic, although largely wedded to the manager’s preference for a backline with three centre-backs.

Throughout the campaign, injuries thwarted his plans, but a manager coming into the role in the summer would have time to implement their footballing philosophy.

One available manager with a clear identity is Luke Williams, who has fostered a reputation for possession-based football that is easy on the eye.

Funnily enough, Williams has previously replaced Duff at another club. After Duff’s dismissal from Swansea City, Williams was appointed manager of the Welsh side in January 2024.

Like Duff, Williams was unable to find success at Swansea, although the Swans’ downward trajectory in recent seasons is attributed by fans to the ownership of the club.

Currently out of work, Williams has experience in earning promotion via the play-offs, having taken Notts County from the disappointment of missing out on the National League title with 107 points to win at Wembley.

Ryan Lowe

A refreshed candidate after taking a managerial break

Lowe raised eyebrows when he left Preston North End via mutual consent just a game into the 2024/25 Championship season, with Preston director Peter Ridsdale claiming that the manager had asked to leave as he needed both a “break” and a “change”.

With Huddersfield recruiting a new manager with a summer appointment in mind, Lowe would be able to continue his recharging period until the summer, allowing him to approach a new campaign with the Terriers fully refreshed and ready to go.

Aside from experience managing in League One with Plymouth Argyle, earning promotion lower down the EFL with Bury, and knowledge of the Championship thanks to his Preston spell, Lowe’s preference for a back three marries well to the current squad at the John Smith Stadium.

Des Buckingham

Rookie head coach with League One play-off experience

Thanks to his status as a promising, up-and-coming head coach, Des Buckingham’s name will likely be mentioned when clubs in the EFL part ways with their managers.

Returning back to the UK after a spell managing in India, Buckingham was somewhat of an unknown when Oxford United appointed him manager.

Previous Oxford boss Liam Manning had the U’s second in the League One table, and whilst Buckingham took time to settle in, he managed to lead his boyhood club to promotion via the play-offs.

Whilst hometown hero Buckingham was credited with a surprise promotion, with many fans believing his sacking to be unfair, the fact that his successor Gary Rowett has managed to steer the U’s up the league table raises a few questions about Buckingham’s Championship suitability.

Jon Worthington

Of course, with 10 games remaining in League One and just two points separating Huddersfield from the play-offs, there is a real chance for interim boss Jon Worthington to impress and earn the job on a full-time basis.

Worthington, who played over 200 games for Huddersfield after coming through the Terriers’ academy, previously served as the club’s caretaker last season, winning a respectable two games from four matches in charge.

Despite some experience of managing Huddersfield, the circumstances are vastly different this time around.

Last campaign Huddersfield were battling relegation from the Championship, whereas this season they are chasing promotion via the play-offs.

If Worthington can lead the Terriers to Wembley, or go one better and win the play-offs, he might become the top candidate overnight.