Local knowledge is overrated. Two years ago Carlos Carvalhal and David Wagner were virtually unknown in England but now they are jousting for the right to lead one of the country’s former champions to Wembley and perhaps on to the Premier League. Huddersfield host Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final and it has been a long time since fans of either club have been so excited.
Both managers have excelled to guide their clubs this far. For Carvalhal it is the second impressive exploit in a row, as the Portuguese steered Wednesday to the play-off final in his first full season at the club before losing to Hull City a year ago. He has defied expectations again by turning that disappointment into fuel to drive another promotion challenge. Their fourth-place finish in this season’s Championship was two places higher up than last term, spawning even brighter hopes that Wednesday will return to the top flight, from which they have been exiled since 2000.
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