Huddersfield Town can laugh at Bradford City for clear reason | OneFootball

Huddersfield Town can laugh at Bradford City if they appoint former Wycombe Wanderers boss Michael Duff to replace Graham Alexander...

Michael Duff could be the man Bradford City turn to after Graham Alexander's shock move to Preston North End, but Huddersfield Town supporters could have plenty to laugh about if that happens.

Michael Duff was recently dismissed by Wycombe Wanderers after a poor start to the 2026/27 campaign, while Graham Alexander left Bradford City top of League One to take over a Preston North End side in the Championship relegation zone.

The Bantams now face a crucial decision over his successor, with Duff seemingly among the candidates considered by Bradford. On paper, it would be a curious appointment given what has happened to his reputation in recent years with Huddersfield Town and more.

Why Huddersfield Town will be laughing at Bradford City over Michael Duff

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There are two obvious reasons why Huddersfield could be enjoying Bradford's predicament. Firstly, Duff is hardly an unknown quantity to the Terriers, having been one of the managers they turned to during their recent attempts to find the right man for a promotion push over the last three seasons.

His spell at the Terriers ultimately failed to deliver, with Duff dismissed in March 2025 after less than a year in charge. Bradford replacing Alexander with a manager who could not get Huddersfield moving forward would therefore look like a step down on paper.

Not only does it appear underwhelming, but there is also the wider promotion picture. Bradford are currently competing for the same objective as Huddersfield, with both clubs harbouring ambitions of returning to the Championship.

Alexander had established the Bantams as genuine promotion contenders before leaving. If Duff's arrival disrupts that momentum and Bradford lose their footing in the promotion picture, Huddersfield could benefit enormously.

A managerial change is always a gamble, but Bradford would be taking one just as their West Yorkshire rivals are hoping to gain an advantage in the race for the top two, having played well in almost every outing under Martin Drury.

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Duff's managerial career began spectacularly at Cheltenham Town, where he led the club to promotion from League Two as champions in 2020/21. He subsequently took Barnsley to the League One play-off final before Swansea City came calling in 2023.

However, his time at Swansea was short-lived, with Duff dismissed after just 21 games. His next move to Huddersfield was supposed to offer a chance to rebuild his reputation back in League One.

Duff then joined Wycombe and initially appeared to have found another suitable EFL environment, helping the club achieve strong results before eventually being dismissed early in the current campaign. The decision looked harsh given his overall work, since joining in September 2025.

However, Wycombe evidently felt the poor start to the new season meant there was not enough credit in the bank from 2025/26. Three difficult jobs in succession have inevitably damaged what was once a very high reputation. Can Bradford overlook that?

Bradford could make Michael Duff look like a genius and have the last laugh on Huddersfield

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Bradford's gamble could still prove to be a stroke of genius. Duff has already demonstrated that he knows how to build successful EFL teams, most notably taking Cheltenham to the League Two title and then guiding Barnsley to promotion contention and the League One play-off final.

When Swansea appointed him, his reputation was undoubtedly sky-high, and his subsequent struggles do not suddenly erase what he achieved earlier in his career. It may have all been pre-June 2023, but that same manager still exists.

The right environment could allow Duff to thrive again, particularly if Bradford provide him with a squad suited to his methods and the stability that has been missing from some of his recent jobs. On paper, it has been well built by Alexander and co. over many years now.

Wycombe may ultimately feel they made the right decision, but the timing was certainly harsh. Huddersfield could therefore be laughing at Bradford's apparent downgrade — only to end up with egg on their face if Duff takes the Bantams into the Championship.

Sometimes the right manager simply needs the right club, albeit Huddersfield will feel as though they provided him with the squad, tools, and resources to succeed and he didn't do so, but that doesn't mean Bradford can't get more out of Duff and vice versa.