Despite flashes of brilliance, Florent Hadergjonaj’s one-year stint at FC Ingolstadt 04 was ultimately a disappointing one.
It is hard to say why that might have been, as it is evident the Swiss defender has taken to Premier League football with Huddersfield Town like a duck to water.
To be fair, Hadergjonaj never looked out of place in the Bundesliga; he put in some first-rate performances, especially against Borussia Dortmund away from home, as well as showing tactical versatility when playing in a right-midfield position during Ingolstadt’s victory against FC Augsburg.
Hadergjonaj even scored a contender for goal of the season in a win against Mainz.
Most likely, Hadergjonaj was, like many recently transferred players, the victim of managerial turmoil.
With longstanding coach Ralph Hasenhüttl departing for RB Leipzig in the summer of 2016, the Swiss defender was brought to Ingolstadt from Young Boys of Bern under the recommendation of the club’s then sporting director Thomas Linke.
Unfortunately for Hadergjonaj, his signing did not sit well with new manager Markus Kauczinski, and he only made two appearances whilst the former Karlsruhe boss was at the club.
When Kauczinski was sacked in November 2016, Hadergjonaj was offered a reprieve by new manager, Maik Walpurgis; but the damage was already done as Ingolstadt fell to relegation in the following May.
His departure from the Bavarian club left a lot to be desired and is perhaps, especially from a fan’s perspective, the main reason Hadergjonaj’s time in Ingolstadt isn’t looked upon too fondly.
Hadergjonaj recently claimed it was his ‘dream’ to play in the Premier League, and it is somewhat understandable if he pushed for a move because of that reason.
Regardless, he only informed the club of his desire to leave at the eleventh hour, refusing to train in the process, which forced Ingolstadt to play a winger, Stefan Lex, in his place as the club lost their derby to fierce rivals Jahn Regensburg.
It was poor conduct from a player who had impressed Ingolstadt fans during the second half of the 2016/17 season.
Hadergjonaj’s talent was always evident at Ingolstadt, but he was the victim of circumstance and his own shoddy conduct.
Nonetheless, he appears to have turned a corner in West Yorkshire, and much the same as Brighton & Hove Albion found with Pascal Groß, Huddersfield Town appear to have secured themselves a real bargain courtesy of FC Ingolstadt 04.
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