Huddersfield Town legend Christopher Schindler has been hailed as the club’s best bargain signing by Graeme Rayner, a fan pundit from FLW.
The Terriers have had a mix of successful and less successful signings over the years. Jonathan Hogg has been a loyal player for over a decade, while others like Adama Diakhaby didn’t quite meet expectations.
Schindler, however, stands out. The German central defender joined Huddersfield from 1860 Munich in 2016 for a reported fee of around £1.8 million. At 26, he had already made a name for himself in the 2. Bundesliga with 152 appearances and four goals.
During his time at Huddersfield, Schindler became a fan favorite, playing in 175 matches and earning a reputation as a solid and reliable defender.
Graeme Rayner praised Schindler’s impact at the club, stating that the £1.8 million fee was a club record at the time and that Schindler’s performances and leadership more than justified the investment. He described Schindler as the best defender he had ever seen at the club, highlighting that there were even discussions about him being close to earning a spot in the Germany national team during Huddersfield’s time in the Premier League, underscoring Schindler’s high quality and value to the team.
Schindler’s impact on the Terriers
The defender spent most of his time at Huddersfield Town playing under David Wagner, who chose to partner him with current Brentford defender Zanka. The duo formed the backbone of Huddersfield’s defense for two Premier League seasons. During the 2017/18 season, their solid defensive efforts were crucial in helping the Terriers stay in the Premier League, with Zanka keeping 10 clean sheets and Schindler contributing with 9 clean sheets.
| Christopher Schindler stats in 2017/18 Premier League season per FotMob | |
|---|---|
| Pass Accuracy % | 81.4 |
| Tackles won | 61 |
| Tackles won % | 73.5 |
| Aerial duels won | 155 |
| Interceptions | 75 |
| Chances created | 9 |
| Clean sheets | 9 |
After the first few games of the 2017/18 season, there was speculation that Schindler might be on the verge of a call-up to the German national team. However, manager David Wagner downplayed the idea at the time, saying, “He has played six Premier League games and six outstanding ones, but if the question is about being a German international, I think everyone should calm down. I give him no pressure, he’s been outstanding since he arrived, and he’s such a good character, so we’ll give him all the support he needs to continue.”
Although Schindler never received that national team call-up, his commitment to Huddersfield remained unwavering throughout his time in Yorkshire.
At the time, Schindler was the club’s record signing, a title that now belongs to Terence Kongolo, who was signed from AS Monaco for £17.5 million. This significant fee highlights just how valuable a signing Schindler was for Huddersfield at £1.8 million.
Kongolo played alongside Schindler mainly during the 2018/19 season, but their partnership didn’t replicate the same success as Schindler’s pairing with Zanka.
Club chairman Phil Hodgkinson acknowledged Schindler’s impact, stating, “He will always be considered among the greats of Huddersfield Town.” At just £1.8 million, Schindler’s signing stands as a remarkable piece of business for the Terriers.
GET MORE NEWS ON LIFESTYLEROOM.NET
Leave a Reply