Wagner won’t change tune for anyone
HUDDERSFIELD boss David Wagner is refusing to change his ways as he prepares to cross swords with the Premier League’s managerial big guns.
The charismatic German, a close friend of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, often cuts an animated figure on the touchline.
In the Championship last season he ran onto the pitch to celebrate a late winner over Leeds in the home derby. When he returned to the dug-out, Wagner clashed with opposite number Garry Monk and both were sent to the stands.
Asked whether he would temper his approach against the likes of Klopp, Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger following promotion to the top flight, Wagner said: “I am what I am. Hopefully I’ll be able to learn my lesson but in terms of the desire and passion for my team and for the game, this will probably never stop.
“It doesn’t depend on being in the Premier League or Championship, only on my love for the game. I will never change and if you watch football in Brazil, for example, you might think I’m very calm by comparison.”
Huddersfield are tipped to go straight back down but Wagner, who will be assisted this season by Mark Hudson after the club captain announced his retirement as a player yesterday, said: “We are ambitious enough to say that we will work our socks off and try everything to make it as uncomfortable as possible for our opposition.
“The atmosphere within our group is extraordinary and I hope this will be one of our advantages this season. We will give ourselves no limits and if we can say at the end of the season that we gave our maximum, then I’m sure we’ll be happy.”
Defender Martin Cranie said: “The transformation at the club last season was unbelievable.
“The gaffer changed the tactics and the way we train and everyone bought into it. Ninety per cent of the lads here have never played in the Premier League and it’s going to be tough. But we did something amazing last year by going up, so why can’t we defy the odds again?”
The Terriers can expect to pocket about £200million for reaching the Premier League but the overall financial impact will be much more. The club’s commercial director Sean Jarvis revealed: “I’m having meetings about how we increase our presence in America, China and Qatar. As each day unfolds, more and more parties are showing an interest in Huddersfield Town.
“Leicester experienced it when they won the Premier League and we were the fairy tale last season by winning promotion. The economic knock-on effect for the town itself will be fantastic.
“Our turnover will increase by at least £150m, easily, and for every one replica shirt we sold last year, we’re now selling five.”
Since winning promotion, the Terriers have smashed their transfer record six times and embarked on a £4m upgrade of their stadium facilities and infrastructure.
Chairman and owner Dean Hoyle, who grew up supporting the Terriers and made his fortune in greeting cards, took over in 2009, six years after the club almost folded.
He is central to their rags-to-riches rise and operations director Ann Hough said: “Dean is a hard taskmaster and throws grenades in when you think, ‘Oh my god, not again!’ But he knows what he wants, he gets what he wants and we’re all there to help him because he pays the bills.”
Huddersfield have sold over 20,000 season tickets as ambition pulses around the West Yorkshire club louder than ever ahead of their first top-flight campaign since 1972, and Hough added with a huge smile: “It still feels like a dream.”