"Perfect fit" - Pundit hails Huddersfield Town following Michael Duff appointment | OneFootball

have a new man at the helm as Michael Duff was announced as the new manager of the Terriers on Monday afternoon.

The 46-year-old returns to management having been sacked by Swansea City back in December, and replaces Andre Breitenreiter after it was confirmed he had left the club last week following their relegation from the Championship.

Duff is a manager who arrives at the John Smith's Stadium with a reputation of earning promotion from the lower leagues, and he will be hoping he can mastermind Huddersfield's return to the second tier at the first time of asking.

Carlton Palmer gives Michael Duff verdict after Huddersfield appointment

While his recent tenure at the Swansea.com Stadium is the only blemish on Duff's early managerial career, there is no denying that his appointment has excited everyone associated with Huddersfield, none more so than Carlton Palmer.

The 58-year-old is a huge fan of the Northern Irishman, and has described Duff's appointment to FLW as a "perfect fit" for the Terriers.

The former England international also fully expects Huddersfield to return to the Championship at the first attempt, should Duff be given the resources needed to ensure of an immediate return to the second tier.

"It's great news to see Michael Duff back in management, he's been given a three-year contract at Huddersfield, and it is great to see him back in management," Palmer told Football League World.

"He did a fantastic job at Barnsley and with the job he did there, he was coveted by football clubs, and I am a big fan of Michael Duff. I think he did an unbelievable job at Barnsley, but as managers and football players, you have to look at the clubs you join and the DNA of the football club.

"He was coveted by a lot of football clubs, but with the way Swansea like to play, I mean Swansea are one of those clubs who, yes, want to be successful, but they want to play a certain style of football. The supporters are happy if they get beat, but they are playing a certain brand of football they want to see.

"That is not the way that Michael Duff plays. He plays an attacking formation and gets at people. He likes to get the ball forward quickly and there is nothing wrong with that if it is done in the right way. "But with Huddersfield, it is a perfect fit for him. I have no doubt about him being successful again. I said at the time, he is very positive about what he does, he watches the game and is very brave and is able to make the decisions that need to be made to change a game. "He can be very positive late on in the game and that is a sign of a good manager.

"He will only learn from the experience at Swansea, he is only 46, and it's great to see him back in football. I expect to see Huddersfield, if he's given the tools to do the trade in the summer, he's in nice and early. I expect Huddersfield to bounce back to the Championship, I really do under Michael Duff."

Michael Duff managerial statistics

Having only played for two clubs throughout his entire career, Duff would return to Cheltenham Town as the first-team coach in 2018, and would secure his first and only promotion of his managerial career the following season.

Duff then led the club to their highest-ever finish in the Football League at the end of the 2021/22 season, but would leave the club in that summer with his wish to explore new opportunities which would take him to Barnsley.

His first campaign in charge of the Tykes would see Championship football slip through their fingers, losing to Sheffield Wednesday in the play-off final at Wembley.

Duff would again move on, this time to Swansea City, but this proved to be a mismatch in terms of style and personnel, and it was confirmed in December that he and the Swans had parted company, with his time on the sidelines used to reflect and improve before taking his next role.

The 46-year-old has proved throughout his career he has the ability to pick up points and get his side playing an exciting brand of football, and he will be looking to implement that style early on in his Huddersfield tenure, with the advantage of having a pre-season with his squad ahead of the new campaign.