Hoyle sees Powell as perfect fit for Huddersfield

DEAN HOYLE is backing new Huddersfield Town manager Chris Powell to prove he can be a managerial success outside of his native London.
Huddersfield Town manager Chris Powell. Picture: Tony Johnson.Huddersfield Town manager Chris Powell. Picture: Tony Johnson.
Huddersfield Town manager Chris Powell. Picture: Tony Johnson.

The former Charlton chief’s family home will remain in the capital.

But Powell, who in almost 30 years in football has never worked “up north” until now, fully intends to immerse himself in his new post and has pledged to “embrace” the town where he will now base himself.

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Town chairman Hoyle says the 44-year-old has spoken to him about proving himself in a different environment outside of his traditional comfort zone in the south and fully believes he possesses the people skills and technical credentials to succeed.

On Powell’s appointment, Hoyle added: “It is a good day for Huddersfield Town because I think he fits everything we are about perfectly. He has got a point to prove as well.

“He wants to win and this is a big job for him.

“We spoke about the north-south divide, about him coming up to Yorkshire, and he said, ‘Well, maybe people will think I can only manage in London where I live’.

“My view is that if he comes up here and makes a success of it, then he will be a better manager for it.

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“If he succeeds, then the football club has and it is a win-win situation for everybody.

“I do not think his family will be moving. He has got some children who are in university and you cannot really move them up. But we do not see it as a problem, it is modern-day football.

“When Lee Clark was manager here, his family lived in Newcastle and with Sean Dyche at Burnley, his family live in Northampton. So it is not a problem.”

Confident Powell can get the best out of the players at the club, Hoyle added: “Everybody we have spoken to in football has said Chris is a decent guy and nobody, I repeat nobody has a bad word to say about him.

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“When I speak to players about him, because I have done my own homework, they say people love playing for him and that he always gets the best out of players and puts round pegs in round holes and keeps things very simple.

“If I was a footballer, I would want to play for him.”