American David Wagner turns down Liverpool to be Huddersfield manager

Jurgen Klopp had hoped to lure David Wagner to Liverpool, where he would serve as one of the team's top assistants, but he has turned down the Reds. Instead, the American will take over as the manager at Huddersfield in the Championship.

Wagner's appointment at Huddersfield will be a big step for American managers, who have struggled to get prominent jobs in Europe. While the Championship isn't the top flight and Huddersfield are battling relegation, getting an American into the league is a big deal.

Wagner was a United States international and had served on Klopp's staff at Dortmund. There, he worked with the first team and managed the BVB U-23's. Klopp wanted to bring Wagner to Liverpool and it must have been an enticing pitch, considering the stature of the club and a relationship between the two so close that Wagner was the best man at Klopp's wedding, but the American wanted to be in charge of his own club.

Getting Wagner to Huddersfield isn't quite the same as someone like Bob Bradley taking over a similar club. Wagner was born and raised in Germany, but was eligible to play for the U.S. because of his American father. He was established in Germany and built his reputation there, more as a German than as an American. Still, he is a U.S. international and is, to some degree, an American. Having him at an established English club is a big deal for American managers and hopefully opens the door, even if just a little, for the next one.