Sheffield Wednesday could endure nightmare this summer, but there’s still hope for dreams to come true – opinion

The summer is always a tricky and very important time for any football club, but Sheffield Wednesday have rarely faced a more decisive moment in the club’s history.

After a promising albeit inconsistent year, the Owls came up 12th in the Championship table, neither threatened by relegation nor seriously pushing for the play-offs.

Position	Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	Diff	Points
9	West Brom	46	15	19	12	57	47	10	64
10	Middlesbrough	46	18	10	18	64	56	8	64
11	Swansea	46	17	10	19	51	56	-5	61
12	Sheffield Wednesday	46	15	13	18	60	69	-9	58
13	Norwich	46	14	15	17	71	68	3	57
14	Watford	46	16	9	21	53	61	-8	57
15	QPR	46	14	14	18	53	63	-10	56

There was talk of a flirtation with the top six, but it didn’t last long. And now, as the summer approaches, hope is undoubtedly in short supply among Sheffield Wednesday supporters.

Looking ahead to the 2025/26 Championship season, Wednesday is likely to emerge from this summer in a precarious position as a result of financial issues and internal unrest.

However, there is a slim chance that everything may finally fall into place for this sleeping giant.

 

The worst case scenario for Sheffield Wednesday

Let’s start with the worst-case scenario for Sheffield Wednesday this summer. First and foremost, Danny Rohl may not be around much longer.

Rohl is coveted by a number of clubs, including Southampton and Leicester City, as well as Premier League sides Crystal Palace and Fulham, both of which are expected to lose their current managers.

According to Rohl’s recent statements, owner Dejphon Chansiri’s lack of ambition and stability has led him to leave.

That leads us to the following point. Fans regard Chansiri as the club’s main problem and badly want him to sell up and leave.

His refusal to pay players on time, apparent reluctance to spend in the transfer market, and overall conduct and attitude are all reasons that many believe are preventing Wednesday from reaching their full potential.

Sheffield Wednesday haven’t been in the top flight in a long time, and with Chansiri at the helm, that won’t change for a while.

The Thai businessman has been steadfast in his stance, and while he promised to sell if a suitable offer came in, it appears that he will remain in place for the time being.

Throw in the fact that Josh Windass’ contract is up, Shea Charles is returning to Southampton following his loan stay, and there doesn’t appear to be a strategy in place to replace them.

We could be looking at a situation in August where the Owls have lost their manager, important players, and are still stuck with an owner no one wants. Not to mention the possibility of future financial inconsistencies, which could result in penalty for the Owls.

That would be a pretty awful situation.

Things could go exactly how Sheffield Wednesday fans want this summer

Now, shall we look on the bright side and dream for a while?

For starters, there is significant interest in purchasing Sheffield Wednesday. According to reports, a US-based investor has made a takeover attempt, and Moroccan billionaire Anas Sefrioui is closely monitoring the situation.

It remains to be seen whether either of those choices will come to fruition, but there is no disputing that there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

And, of course, a new owner brings the prospect of renewed optimism and, more crucially, money. If Wednesday were able to compete financially with the big boys in the Championship, we’d expect them to push for promotion with real determination.

That could be enough to persuade Rohl to stay put and complete the project he has begun. Even if it isn’t, there would be plenty of contenders to replace Rohl and launch something new with the support of a positive new owner.

Along with Rohl, perhaps Josh Windass will stay and continue the fight for the Owls. They might even have enough clout to entice Jamie Vardy back to his boyhood club, which would truly get the fans excited.

New owners, a manager who believes in the vision, and players eager to play for Sheffield Wednesday; it could all turn into a dream very soon for the club, and Chansiri’s departure is the first domino to fall.

It will take a fair push to bring that specific domino down, but with that much fan pressure, it is not impossible.

Sheffield Wednesday have suffered long enough. That devoted and, frankly, huge fan following deserves better. Let’s hope 2018 is the year things finally turn around for them.