Schindler says Town staying up is ‘unbelievable’
HUDDERSFIELD Town’s achievement in securing Premier League safety will take some time to sink in, according to their Player of the Year Christopher Schindler.
The Terriers extended their stay among the elite to a second year on Wednesday night by securing the point required to stay up from a battling draw at outgoing champions Chelsea.
Laurent Depoitre’s strike early in the second half kept Town up and effectively condemned Swansea City to the drop, the Welsh club needing to make up not just a three-point deficit on Southampton in the final game, but also achieve a ten-goal swing.
Such an unlikely scenario led yesterday to the news that former Sheffield Wednesday manager Carlos Carvalhal will not have his contract extended in the summer.
On Huddersfield avoiding the drop, Schindler said: “Everyone thought we were going to go down. Not of course in our dressing room or our club, but a lot of people that watch the Premier League. It is just unbelievable, it is going to need a few days or weeks until it sinks in.
“We thought this point against Manchester City (last Sunday) was not worth anything, but to get the point at Chelsea as well is just unbelievable.
“I feel empty, I can’t really get it that we have made it after that result (at Chelsea).”
For head coach David Wagner, Wednesday’s emotional postmatch scenes of celebration were a continuation of the remarkable job the German has done since succeeding Chris Powell in November, 2015.
Despite Huddersfield boasting the lowest wage budget in the Premier League and a squad that had just two players – Tom Ince and veteran Dean Whitehead – who had featured in the English top flight when the season got under way in August, the Yorkshire club can look forward once again to pitting their wits against the very best in 2018-19.
“The Premier League isn’t comparable to the play-off final,” said the German, when asked how survival compared to the May afternoon last year when promotion was secured on penalties against Reading under the Wembley Arch.
“It is a great achievement for the club, the area and the supporters. I am just glad this club will be in the Premier League next year.”