Exclusive: Lee Hendrie makes claim on Des Buckingham becoming next Huddersfield Town manager | OneFootball

Former Oxford United man is top pick for the Terriers job

Huddersfield Town have been without a permanent manager since parting ways with Michael Duff in March.

Duff, 47, had overseen the Terriers for ten months following the departure of Andre Breitenreiter by mutual consent.

Despite an earlier 16-game unbeaten run in League One, a dramatic downturn in form - four defeats in five - rendered the former Barnsley and Swansea City boss’s position untenable.

Since Duff’s exit, interim manager Jon Worthington has taken charge and is expected to remain at the helm until a permanent appointment is made in the summer.

Several high-profile EFL names, including Des Buckingham, Rob Edwards, and Wayne Rooney, have been linked with the vacancy.

Lee Hendrie backs Des Buckingham for Huddersfield Town job

With key decisions on the horizon and several high-profile names in the frame, Football League World spoke exclusively to EFL pundit Lee Hendrie to find out who he believes should be Huddersfield’s top managerial target this summer.

“Huddersfield obviously will be looking for a new manager in the summer - Des Buckingham's linked, Rob Edwards, Wayne Rooney,” Hendrie told FLW.

“I think you look at what Des Buckingham did at Oxford and took them forward and certainly, I thought, did a great job there to get them promoted into the Championship, and the same with Rob Edwards really.

“Wayne Rooney obviously he's had jobs that have been - he's probably gone in at the wrong times, and probably hasn’t had the resources to take the clubs forward to a certain extent.

“But I think Des Buckingham probably fits the bill out of those three - I think Rob may be, personally, looking at something that's higher end of the Championship for what he did at Luton, and again his success there and his promotion.

“So, I'd certainly think Des Buckingham would be a decent fit for that football club, for sure.”

Huddersfield’s turbulent run of managerial appointments under former Director of Football Mark Cartwright has left the club in urgent need of stability and direction.

Five managers in just over a year - from Neil Warnock to Michael Duff - have come and gone, with each struggling to establish any lasting momentum. The result: a dismal 2023/24 campaign and relegation to League One.

Cartwright’s recent departure could mark a turning point. With a new figure likely to come in above football operations, this summer offers a rare opportunity for Huddersfield to reset their footballing identity and build something more coherent and long-term. Appointing the right manager will be central to that rebuild.

Hendrie’s endorsement of Buckingham as a strong candidate is telling: the 40-year-old's recent success in guiding Oxford to the Championship, combined with his reputation for modern, progressive football, could make him an ideal fit for a club in need of rejuvenation.

While names like Edwards and Rooney carry profile, Buckingham offers a blend of upward trajectory and tactical clarity that could be well-suited to the Terriers’ current needs.

Whoever takes the reins at the John Smith’s Stadium will inherit a fractured but potentially fertile project. After a chaotic spell, Huddersfield now need vision, consistency - and the right leadership to guide them forward.