David Wagner says Huddersfield Town stresses stopped him developing

The German transformed the Terriers after becoming their first non-British manager in November 2015. After saving them from relegation that season, they won the Championship play-offs in 2016-17, then improbably survived their first Premier League campaign. By the time he left by mutual consent in January 2019 a repeat was looking unlikely and the toll was starting to show on Wagner.

The biggest issue, according to the 48-year-old, was that he was no longer able to develop his skills. By contrast, current Huddersfield manager Danny Cowley has spoken recently about being able to use the coronavirus lockdown to think more long-term and create a “coaching curriculum” for the whole club.

"It was the right thing to do for me because if you have the feeling you can't help any longer and you've got everything out of your players and it is not good enough then it is very stressful,” said Wagner, now coach of Schalke, who were in a Europa League position when German football was put on hold for the pandemic.

"The biggest problem for me is that if you are in the race you can't develop yourself to try and educate yourself and this is what I loved in my break from football,” he continued. “I was able to look to the left and to the right, so it wasn't just about having less stress, it was about educating myself and that was interesting for me.”

Wagner took nearly four months out before returning to the game with Schalke. It was his first Bundesliga role having previously managed Borussia Dortmund's second team.

English football holds a special place in Wagner's heart and while he says it would be great to return one day, for now he is enjoying life in Gelsenkirchen.

"There are moments when I miss England because it was a great time,” he admitted. “But it's nice to be back home and working for Schalke, one of the biggest clubs in Germany.

“This club nearly got relegated last season and now we are fighting for Europe which is a great success so far.

"I will never say it (a return to England) will never happen, but I'm happy where I am and I'm happy to have a contract with one of the best clubs and I have to do the best for my club. I'm trying to push the club as far as I can and what I started here isn't done yet.

“But no one knows what happens after, and for sure it would be great to be back in the Premier League at one time in the future."

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