3 managers Huddersfield Town must consider along with Michael Skubala - ex-Southampton boss features | OneFootball

3 managers that Huddersfield Town must consider following the sacking of Lee Grant.

Huddersfield Town are in search of a new manager following the sacking of Lee Grant on Saturday evening after less than eight months in charge at the Accu Stadium.

The former Manchester United goalkeeper was relieved of his duties following a 3-1 defeat at the hands of lowly Burton Albion on Saturday, leaving the Terriers sixth in the League One table.

Grant has been under constant pressure after an inconsistent start to the season, but back-to-back defeats and no wins in his last four games in charge proved to be the straw that broke the Camel's back.

Town will now go about appointing a new head coach to try and salvage at least a top six finish for the season, and FLW exclusively revealed that Lincoln City boss Michael Skubala is on the hierarchy's radar, with the Imps currently second in the third tier standings.

There's every chance that if an approach is made though, Skubala could turn down Huddersfield's advances, given Lincoln's position in the league, and with a contract until 2028, there's likely going to be a significant compensation figure needed to release him from his contract.

Fortunately, there are plenty of strong options available for the Terriers as alternatives who could help them achieve their goals for 2025.26

With that in mind, Football League World decided to look at three suitable candidates that could be a great fit for Huddersfield aside from Skubala.

Alan Sheehan

Former Swansea City boss Alan Sheehan has been out of work since his sacking from the Welsh club in mid-November. Since then, he has been linked with a host of vacancies, most notably Championship side Oxford United.

The Irishman is yet to land a new gig though, having withdrawn his name from the running at Oxford, but he will be on the radar of plenty of clubs, given how highly-rated he is as a coach.

It's clear with the appointment of Grant that the Terriers hierarchy were looking for an exciting young head coach to come in and be the spearhead of a long-term project, and if they still want that, then Sheehan fits that bill perfectly.

The former Swansea boss is still relatively young at 39, but has an edge over Grant when it comes to his coaching and managerial CV, which isn't illustrious, but is certainly more than adequate to bring success at League One level.

Sheehan's style of football will also suit Huddersfield's current squad, as he likes his teams to play with tempo and hurt teams in transition, rather than just having the ball for the sake of it.

With players such as Bali Mumba, Marcus Harness, Alfie May, and Cameron Humphreys at the club who thrive in this type of system, Sheehan could well be a perfect fit for the Yorkshire side.

Gary Rowett

Another manager who has been out of work since the end of 2025 is Gary Rowett, who was sacked by Oxford in December, with the U's having won one of his last 10 games, and leaving them in the relegation zone in the Championship.

Despite this, the 51-year-old has an excellent CV in the English game, particularly at Millwall, whom he managed to turn into an established top-half Championship outfit in a four-year stint at The Den.

This appointment would be at the other end of the spectrum in comparison to someone like Sheehan or Grant if Huddersfield were to go through with it, representing a change in direction by the club's hierarchy.

The Huddersfield board may want to go in a different direction with their next appointment, bringing in an experienced manager who can hit the ground running, and Rowett is certainly that, having steadied the ship at Oxford when he first arrived.

Top priority for the club in the immediate future is to gain promotion from League One, and hiring an experienced head coach in Rowett would give them an excellent chance of doing so at the earliest possible opportunity.

The former Millwall boss knows how to get results, and whilst the football won't be freeflowing and attacking, his style of play will make Town a far more structured and rigid side.

Will Still

This is a seriously ambitious suggestion, given Will Still's credentials in the game over the last few years, but an ill-fated stint at Southampton has left his career somewhat in limbo, and doubts over whether he can succeed in English football.

Still arrived at Southampton in the summer with a hugely impressive coaching and managerial CV in Belgium and France, which included the likes of RC Lens, where he got a taste of European football, albeit in the qualifying stages.

Despite his high stock, the 33-year-old failed to impress at St Mary's, leaving the Saints 21st in the Championship, with just two wins in his final 13 matches in charge.

However, Still has proven to be one of the most tactically savvy up-and-coming young managers, playing a brand of fast, modern, attacking football that would fit the squad that Huddersfield have got like a glove, with their fast wide players.

If the Terriers do decide to go down the young 'project manager' route again, you can't help but feel there's no better choice than Still. His standout CV coupled with his excellent understanding of the modern game make him a great fit, should Huddersfield stick with their principles.

However, this would be an extremely ambitious appointment, as it's unclear whether Still would settle for a job in League One, and it still remains largely unclear whether or not his managerial style is suited to English football.