Well, another year and the first blog of 2021 and it's certainly not been a quiet start on the Sheffield Wednesday news front. 2020 was of course a hugely challenging year for us all and that was not just limited to life away from football.
I was always planning to do a blog after the Derby County game on New Years Day, little did I know I'd be discussing another managerial change at Hillsborough. Lets get on into it.
Tony Pulis
So as I'm sure anyone reading this is well aware, Tony Pulis lasted just 10 games as the manager of Sheffield Wednesday, when the news broke last week I have to say that while it was a surprise it wasn't a shock. There had been rumours he was unhappy and to be honest apart from the odd decent game here and there, it hadn't exactly been the best start.
There were positives to his appointment, experienced, several contacts and I think most of us agreed that if he was allowed to do the job then he'd probably keep Wednesday up, which is the aim for this season, nothing else. However the performances and results were poor, I've always been someone who doesn't really care about a style of play as long as we get results but even I had to accept the football was awful. Huddersfield away is probably up there with one of the worst displays I have seen as a Wednesday fan. No attempt to go forward, defensive errors and a general dull feel meant it was hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel. The players for whatever reason, and we'll get into them later, were not performing for him. If Pulis had tried to change it, there's a chance he'd still be here but he didn't.
Who next?
I'll start off by saying I don't think there is a standout candidate. Obviously Paul Cook's name keeps doing the rounds and if rumour is to be believed Wednesday have contacted him about the job. There are positives to him, he's done a good job wherever he has been, he has recent Championship experience on his CV. He's a good communicator and personally I think his interviews would go down well with Wednesday fans. The drawbacks for me would be, the fact he's already got rid of our best attacking player so far this season in Josh Windass where there was a clear falling out while they were together at Wigan. Also, would the club and expectation of the fans be too big? Honestly I don't know the answer to that but knowing the expectation of Wednesday fans, I'd fear so. There is also the fact I'm not sure Cook would work with Chansiri, I don't think with the current structure in place at Hillsborough that Cook would want the job. It didn't work for Pulis who again if Rumour is to be believed was warned against the job.
The names also doing the rounds include Joey Barton, Gus Poyet and Danny Cowley as well as a number of other foreign managers. It wouldn't surprise me if we went down the foreign route again. It seems we operate a more continental approach to running the club and that doesn't seem to suit the English 'Manager' type of role.
Personally for me, I'd take Cook but there is a big doubt for me about him wanting it. I don't see it happening with the current infrastructure. I'd again put forward the name of David Wagner as someone with recent Championship experience who did such an excellent job at Huddersfield. Neil Thompson who is currently in caretaker charge for me should also be considered, he knows the players and has been here for a while so knows the club well. He's in the best position at the moment being in caretaker charge and it has a Stuart Gray feel about it.
Chansiri, Advisors and The running of the club
I'll start this section by saying I still firmly believe Dejphon Chansiri wants the best for Sheffield Wednesday and the fans. I don't buy into this idea that he is doesn't care or has some hidden agenda. Where I think he has gone wrong is he still seems to view 'football business' and business as the same thing, which as we all know, it isn't.
His latest press conference covered a number of topics, some of his comments I agreed with but I think most took issue, as did I, with the comments regarding fans again being to blame for sponsorship deals falling down. Now while I accept that social media comments can be harsh, Chansiri himself said that they didn't have the best interest of the club at heart. So why be so bothered about them? If you know they don't have good intentions, tell the sponsors that. I'm not for a moment suggesting I don't believe this to be true I just find it strange how big companies are so bothered about what people have to say. At the end of the day, football is an emotive game and when you charge the highest prices in the league for a fourth season of underwhelming and underachieving results then you get this malaise of negativity. Does it go to far? Yeah it does, I've seen it many a time over the last ten years since being on Twitter. I feel for Chansiri a bit as it's clear it gets to him and nobody should just accept blatant abuse, that much is obvious.
Where Chansiri for me could help himself is, as I've said before, appointing a Director of Football and a Commercial Director. A big football club like Sheffield Wednesday can't be run by just one or two people. Especially when one isn't in the country. It needs a structure and a plan. There doesn't really seem to be either at the moment. The off the pitch stuff while less important has a hug impact on the mood of the fans. You can't guarantee results but if you can win the small battles off the pitch it makes a massive difference. When fans are allowed back into the ground (whenever that may be) making the matchday experience better needs to be a priority because when you charge the highest prices and fans don't get value for money they are more than entitled to complain.
The refund situation also has been a source of frustration, while I accept it was always going to be an administrative nightmare to do it still shouldn't have taken this long, remember we're not just talking about this season. We're on about last season as well for the five matches at Hillsborough people didn't get to go to due to Covid. I also found it strange that Chansiri said they didn't expect as many people to say they wanted a refund as they did. Again it goes back to making the fans feel like they aren't important, apathy has more than set in and I, as well as others, do fear that with the Covid situation when fans are allowed back the crowds won't be what they once were. The habit isn't there and it's not impossible to think given the current situation that it won't be until well into 21/22 that fans are back. You have to try and keep that connection as strong as possible, we're not on about the hardcore here, we aren't referring to the die hards, we're talking about people who maybe have to make a choice between football and something else they enjoy. Price them out and make them feel like they aren't really part of it and they'll go.
It also broke during the last week that another advisor has been on the scene. Erik Alonso. While I think most of us will admit that aside from a quick google we know little about him. It is good that Chansiri has looked elsewhere for advice. While I'd prefer him to appoint a Director of Football this is still a small step in the right direction. This isn't to say there is a problem with Amadeu Paixao, I don't know. I don't really know his role other than advisor and to be honest, I don't really think many do. Nobody had an issue with him when were were finishing 6th and 4th , again when things are going badly people tend to go all in on people and things they don't know. I'm not saying they're wrong about Paixao, as I say I don't know. But even if he is doing a good job at advising Chansiri, it never hurts to look at other options. It also shows Chansiri's commitment to the club I feel.
Aims for the rest of the season
The aim for me is, as it has been all season, to stay up. Nothing more. On New Years Day we moved out of the relegation zone for the first time this season, a massive moment in the context. Especially given some of the results prior to the Coventry game on December 19th. I, like a lot had pretty much resigned myself to the fact it'd be very hard to stay up after the defeat at Nottingham Forest. But since then 10 points from 12 and some decent performances have shifted the believe back into focus. We have enough in the squad providing we keep everyone fit and there isn't another collapse. Twice already we've lost four on the spin, you can't do that when you have a points deduction and battling against the drop.
Whoever the next manager is they will have to deal with some of the off the field issues that have been going on. The late payment of players is a worry and to be honest I believe it to be a massive factor behind some of the results, if you are contracted to receive a certain amount of money per week and you don't then you aren't going to pub maximum effort in. I don't care what anyone says, the amounts are irreverent, they're human beings, it's a natural reaction. For me while I think they will appoint someone from outside the club, Neil Thompson has put himself in a very good position with two wins from two. Games, should the Exeter game go ahead then you'd hope he'll make it three from three before a massive pair of games against Coventry and Wycombe. If you offered me a Director of Football and Commercial Director and left it with Thompson until the end of the season, then I'd take it. I can think of a lot worse things to happen.
Thanks for reading
Tom
WAWAW
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