So what does the future hold for Huddersfield Town?
We should get a pointer from a derby at Sheffield Wednesday which has taken on a distinctly new dimension with the arrival of David Wagner as head coach.
It’s early days for the German and it won’t be a definitive result, win, lose or draw.
But the international break means Wagner has had two weeks to work with his new charges, as much of a luxury as you can get in the middle of a busy Championship campaign.
He took a seat vacated by sacked manager Chris Powell which is hot whatever the title (six different team chiefs in seven years is testament to that) promising a “restart”.
Wagner listed some of the things he seeks from his sides - passion, speed in thought, movement and winning the ball back, uber fitness, goals and wins.
There will be two immediate things to look for in team selection and tactics.
Developing young players is central to the appointment.
A string of them went on the Spanish training camp in Wagner’s first week at the club, and the Under 21s chalked up a ninth successive win in beating Leeds United on Monday.
Will we see the head coach make a statement via his starting XI?
And can the players he inherited play the way he wants?
Wednesday, ninth to Town’s 19th, have themselves had some success under Euro leadership after appointing Portuguese boss Carlos Carvalhal.
They lost 3-1 at Charlton Athletic last time out.
But before that they had gone 11 games without defeat in all competitions, beating both Newcastle United and Arsenal in the Capital One Cup.
Middlesbrough are the only side to have won at Hillsborough this season and this is the toughest-looking trip to Sheffield Town have had in some time.
