Former Huddersfield Town favourite Kieran O’Regan believes the search for Town’s new manager is focusing directly on those who have previously done well in the Championship.

Chairman Dean Hoyle has made it clear the appointment will not come from within and that “experience at this level” could be a key factor in the board’s decision.

Coventry City’s Steven Pressley is heading the betting market at the moment, but plenty of others have been mentioned who appear to have the right credentials.

“If Dean is saying experience at this level (for candidates), then surely you are looking at the likes of Owen Coyle, Billy Davies, Malky Mackay – who would be a very good appointment – or Chris Hughton, who has been at Newcastle, Birmingham and Norwich,” said O’Regan, who played 199 times for Town and watches them regularly as part of the press corps.

“These are the people you are probably looking at, but only time will tell.

“I think Mark Lillis has probably got the job for this Saturday, though, and Cardiff is a difficult place to go.

“The tempo we will have to play on Saturday will have to be a lot higher and a lot more concentrated.

“But the (Capital One Cup) result gives us a little bit of confidence because we were at a very low ebb.”

Malky Mackay and Steven Pressley
Malky Mackay and Steven Pressley

O’Regan would like to see a vocal manager being brought in who can galvanise what is a developing squad – and he is firmly behind Hoyle, whose leadership and backing in the New Era has transformed Town after a decade in the lower divisions.

Dean is the man for the job, no mistake about that,” he confirmed, commenting on the owner-chairman’s concerns about negativity affecting the club.

“He is a Huddersfield Town fan, he has done an extreme amount for the club and we wouldn’t be in the position without Dean Hoyle.

“He obviously takes it personally when people are a little bit negative and are frustrated, but we are a Championship club.

“I wouldn’t say we are a Championship club knocking on the door of maybe the play-offs, but who knows (what can be achieved) if we can get a manager that can come in and galvanise the club and get the best out of the players, get them organised.

“Maybe a manager who is a little bit vocal, too, who can get among the players, because I think some of them have possibly been on easy street for too long.”

Another man who is featuring in the middle-odds of the Town manager market is Tony Mowbray, who took West Brom up to the top flight in his time at The Hawthorns. He is also the man who signed Town's latest arrival Jacob Butterfield for Middlesbrough.