On Thursday it was announced by struggling League One side Wycombe Wanderers that they had relieved Mike Dodds of his duties following a poor start to the season with just five points from eight games. The long process of finding his successor was launched as they languish around the relegation spots…
Long process being a matter of hours before former Huddersfield Town gaffer Michael Duff was announced as his successor on an undisclosed contract.
Dodds replaced former manager Matt Bloomfield upon his exit to Luton Town who were then of the EFL Championship before relegation to League One. Despite the relegation, the board at Kenilworth Road have backed Bloomfield and his Hatters travel to Lincoln City this coming Saturday for an early kick-off.
Duff will surely be given a brilliant reception as he leads out the Chairboys for their fixture against Northampton Town on Saturday as they seek just a second win of the season.
On paper this should be a match made in heaven as Duff will demand attacking football from his goal-shy Wycombe side who have scored just eight goals in eight games. Fred Onyedinma is the highest scorer with two.
Attacking Football
Duff has always played attacking football, be that at Burnley, Cheltenham Town, Barnsley or Huddersfield to name but a few. The tough tackling centre back likes his teams to play fast football that stuns the opposition! He’s also not afraid to switch things up which we will explore later in this article.
Duff is a manager who will expect his team to play out from the back and use short passes and have the wingers attack fullbacks and likewise he will expect his team to defend from the front, expecting his forwards to win the ball back to keep the opposition under the cosh. Wycombe’s players will need to have good fitness.
Promotion & Playoff Experience To Aid Wycombe Wanderers
Duff has experienced several play-offs and promotions with Cheltenham Town, Barnsley and Huddersfield and some would say he was unfairly sacked by the Terriers who finished just a few points outside of the League One playoffs.
In 2018, he achieved promotion with Cheltenham Town and went on to reach the playoffs with both Huddersfield and Barnsley, albeit losing on both occasions.
Tactical Adaptability
One of Duff’s many qualities show that he is not stubborn in any way. If he has to adapt and change formation or gameplay based on the opposition he is open to ideas. Taylor Allen and Niall Huggins could thrive under this system.
In Dodds final game in charge, a 2-1 loss to Peterborough United, the Chairboys played a 3-4-3 but whilst Duff prefers a 4-4-2 or a 3-5-2, he will more than take on board people’s opinions at the club.
Experienced Heads
Duff has played over 600 games professionally as a no-nonsense centre back and alongside that he has managed at teams such as Burnley, Swansea City, Huddersfield Town, Barnsley and Cheltenham Town.
He certainly won’t stand for players not putting in 100% effort, both in training and in matches. For the players it’s a fresh start to impress the new gaffer and earn a place in his matchday squad.
One thing Wycombe Wanderers are not short of is experienced heads and Duff will be able to call upon help from the likes of Will Norris, Jack Grimmer, Luke Leahy, Josh Scowen and Cauley Woodrow plus a host of other exciting players.
With such experience it’s understandable that the board at Adams Park expected a bit better than they were being served up under Dodds. The Chairboys certainly have the quality if Duff can get them playing to their strengths and gaining points.
A Little Bonus… His First Words As Manager
A delighted Duff spoke to Wycombe Wanderers club media on Thursday and you can see his opening interview for the Chairboys right here:
