Wagner not interested in vacant West Brom role
FORMER Huddersfield Town head coach David Wagner is reportedly not interested in managing West Bromwich Albion.
The 47-year-old was heavily linked with the vacant position at The Hawthorns after Darren Moore was sacked by the club on Saturday.
Moore, who was brought in permanently on the back of a successful spell as caretaker manager during West Brom’s relegation season, was let go by the board after a 1-1 draw at home to strugglers Ipswich.
That followed a run of just four wins in 12, including a 4-0 defeat to Leeds United.
The Midlands club sit fourth in the Championship and have not given up hope of automatic promotion back to the Premier League.
But Terriers legend Wagner (pictured) has ruled himself out of the running for the job.
According to sources, the German is not interested in managing in the Championship after one and a half seasons in England’s top division with Town.
Wagner is apparently happy to wait until the summer before taking his next role in football.
The odds on Town’s promotion mastermind becoming the next permanent boss at The Hawthorns have dropped to 12/1 with Sky Bet.
That is way behind current front runner, former Fulham manager, Slavisa Jokanovic at 5/11.
Ex-Everton and Manchester United boss David Moyes is second favourite at 11/2. THE stage is set for Tommy Smith to return to Huddersfield Town’s starting line-up as a key man following his three-match ban – despite losing the captain’s armband during his absence.
The 26-year-old was given a three-match suspension following his red card for a bad tackle in the defeat to Newcastle United on February 23. With his leader on the pitch out of action, Town head coach Jan Siewert named Christopher Schindler captain and recently confirmed the German will continue to wear the armband for the rest of the season.
Smith’s ban is now complete so he should be available for the Terriers’ trip to London to face West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday.
Far from being marginalised by the loss of the armband, Siewert could be turning to his former captain as a vital part of his starting line-up.
Town’s options at right-back without Smith do not look as attractive after the Bournemouth game as they did before it.
Juninho Bacuna failed to replicate his impressive stand-in performances in that position against Wolves and Brighton, while Erik Durm’s performance dropped off in the second-half when he switched from left-back to rightback.
It perhaps reveals something about how Siewert rates Florent Hadergjonaj that the head coach chose to reshuffle his pack rather than bringing on the Swiss in his natural position when Bacuna moved into midfield.
With youngster Demeaco Duhaney still a doubt for the West Ham game, Siewert is probably eager to throw Smith straight back in.
But the German will be expecting much more from Smith than just positional expertise – and it is perhaps an injury in midfield that will mean Siewert is relying on the full-back more than ever.
When he announced Schindler as captain for the rest of the season, Siewert said Huddersfield Town needed more captains in the team and named three players who he considered ‘aggressive leaders on the pitch’, of which Smith was one.
He explained: “First of all, Tommy is suspended for three games and there is no reflection on Tommy at all.
“He is a great guy and he has performed in each game I have been in charge.”
Siewert continued: “Christopher will be captain for the rest of the season on the pitch.
“He is an important reason why this club is in the Premier League.
“He scored the important penalty and he took responsibility - which shows he has leadership quality.
“Hoggy is also another aggressive leader for us on the pitch, as was Tommy until the last three games, so there is no reason for me to
Siewert is probably eager to throw Smith
straight back in