Huddersfield Town criticised for one aspect of Michael Duff decision | OneFootball

The 47-year-old was sacked by the Terriers on Sunday after a dismal run of form in League One.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Huddersfield Town's season has turned from one of hope into a campaign of damage limitation as they look to fight back and retake their position in the top six.

The Terriers will now do this without a permanent manager following the sacking of Michael Duff on Sunday morning, and they will have to work extremely hard to re-overtake Charlton Athletic and Bolton Wanderers in the final weeks.

It's been an incredibly testing couple of months for the West Yorkshire outfit, and the decision to let go of the 47-year-old was once that felt as though it was a long-time coming, with results and performances getting worse and worse every time the team went out onto the pitch.

Huddersfield have dropped away from the top four and they now find themselves out of the play-off places after this run, and with just 10 games to go, there will be questions as to why the decision was not made earlier by Kevin Nagle.

Huddersfield criticised for timing of Duff sacking

Relegation to League One should have allowed for a reset for the Terriers, but they have not made the most out of this season and time is running out to win a place back in the Championship.

Duff has found it tough to implement an exciting style of play that promotes attacking, free-flowing football and after a run of seven defeats in 11 third tier matches, the Northern Irishman paid the price with his job.

However, Football League World has asked their Huddersfield Fan Pundit, Graeme Rayner, if he believes the club waited too long to sack their now former manager.

He told FLW: "In my eyes, I think it became inevitable probably around three or four weeks ago that he was going to go when the results weren't coming, and actually the fans were starting to turn. I think once it becomes inevitable, I don't understand the reason for delaying.

"If you do delay, all you're doing is giving yourself fewer games with whoever comes in charge to get a chance to put it right. The game at home to Peterborough in the middle of February, which I think was five games back, was awful to watch, and it just wasn't enjoyable football. But also, the reaction from the fans at the end of the game told me that they'd turned then and I think the writing was on the wall, if not potentially slightly before.

"I actually feel like the game away at Barnsley, two games before that, was the one where it turned. I think if at Barnsley we had lost the game, which was the day after Valentine's Day, I think that would have been the time to get rid of him."

Graeme continued: "We then managed to play well for 10 minutes and get a win and then we beat Shrewsbury narrowly, 1-0, in a pretty turgid game of football. But that would have been the time when I think he should have gone.

"I don't think that 10 games is enough for a new man to come in, which I think is why they've gone with someone in-house. But whether or not John Worthington can get us back into the play-off places, I don't know. I sincerely hope so, but I know that he doesn't want the job permanently.

"So, we should have probably got rid of Duff a month ago or more and changed it up then."

Huddersfield do have time to turn it around

Although they have lost their grip on the top six for now, the fight for the play-offs is extremely tight and they are not a million miles away from returning if they turn their form around.

John Worthington needs supporters to stick with the team in the final two months of the campaign and help comeback from a difficult run.

Huddersfield have plenty of quality in their squad, but they are a club that is lacking confidence and this will be difficult to overcome.

The decision not to employ a permanent manager suggests a lack of belief that they can finish in the top six, but this is the perfect opportunity for the players to make a statement and reverse some of the damage that has been done.