Tom Hounsell's Flawless Start as Wycombe Wanderers Head Coach

Tom Hounsell is in no mood to talk about the future. The present is going far too well.

The interim Wycombe Wanderers head coach has made a flawless start since stepping in after Michael Duff’s sacking earlier this month, but any suggestion of him taking the job permanently is met with a firm sidestep.

Three games. Three wins. A club that was second-bottom of League One now sitting 14th. The numbers speak loudly enough, even if Hounsell refuses to.

The 30-year-old’s first match in charge brought a breathless 3-2 victory away at Leyton Orient, a result that immediately changed the mood around the club. Wycombe then backed it up by beating Chelsea Under-21s in the EFL Trophy, before seeing off Wigan on Saturday to complete a perfect opening spell for the caretaker.

Yet when the subject turns to his own position, Hounsell keeps the focus elsewhere.

"I've said it before. My thoughts are never on myself, it's about the group of players," he told BBC Three Counties Radio, sounding every inch the company man but with the results to back it up. "I'm employed by this football club, ultimately, to help us get wins. That's my commitment and it's a commitment from the whole staff."

The transformation in the table underlines the scale of the turnaround. Wycombe were drifting near the foot of the division when Duff departed. Hounsell has not only steadied the ship, he has it moving quickly in the right direction.

He insists, though, that he is not looking beyond the next performance.

"I'm pleased with the work we're doing, pleased with the momentum we're taking, pleased with the week that we've had," he said. "But I haven't thought more about it than that."

For a coach still at the very start of his managerial journey, the impact has been striking. Before Wycombe, Hounsell’s only experience in the hot seat came in a 12-match stint as interim boss at Burton Albion in 2024, ahead of Gary Bowyer’s appointment. That brief spell hinted at potential. This one is beginning to underline it.

Hounsell, though, keeps returning to the bigger picture.

"Whoever is manager of this football club is in an incredibly blessed position," he said. "It's an incredibly privileged role to have.

"Whatever happens with the manager's post, that individual will be extremely lucky to work with this group of players and the structure and processes that exist behind the scenes."

The board will have a decision to make if this run continues. For now, Hounsell is happy to let the wins do the talking.