Tommy Smith says former Huddersfield boss David Wagner changed lives
Saturday 19 January 2019 13:15, UK
Huddersfield club captain Tommy Smith has credited the club's former head coach David Wagner with 'changing lives' during his three-year spell with the club.
Wagner, who got Huddersfield promoted from the Sky Bet Championship in 2017, and his assistant Christophe Buhler left by mutual consent on Monday with the club bottom of the Premier League and without a win in nine games.
The club's U23 coach Mark Hudson will take charge for Sunday's clash with Manchester City, with a permanent replacement expected to be named after the match, which is live on Sky Sports.
"There was shock, disappointment," Smith said. "But ultimately we move on. It's as simple as that, we have to, there's a game on Sunday.
"He's changed people's lives and not just the players at the club, the staff the fans, he's come in and been a massive part of what this club has achieved over the last three years," Smith said.
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"Knowing the person he is, he will say it was a real team effort and of course it was, everyone's got to pull in the right direction - but he was a massive turning point in this club's history."
Huddersfield were struggling near the foot of the Championship when Wagner took over in November 2015, before the German oversaw a remarkable turnaround.
After promotion via the playoffs in 2017, Wagner unexpectedly kept Huddersfield in the Premier League, with significantly less resources than some of their rivals.
"Since the first day he walked through the door he made me believe that I could perform at a higher level than I already was," said Smith, who Wagner made club captain following Huddersfield's promotion.
"He's done a hell of a lot for me and a hell of a lot for the club, but for me individually I'll be forever grateful, in terms of the captaincy role and making me believe I could perform a lot better than I previously was. I owe him a lot for that."
