Sheffield Wednesday

After months of speculation, Danny Rohl has finally exited his post as Sheffield Wednesday boss.

The German was expected to leave earlier in the summer but then returned to Wednesday's training ground earlier this month.

He now departs with assistant coach Henrik Pedersen expected to be put in charge of the turmoil-laden club.

How much of a blow is his departure, Owls fans? Were you expecting him to leave before the season started or did his appearance in training give you a renewed hope that he might stay?

Let us know your thoughts here.

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Image source, Getty Images

After a summer of turmoil at Sheffield Wednesday with unpaid wages, embargoes, takeover rumours and a lack of clarity on the future, now the Owls are changing manager.

Danny Rohl's tenure, which included a Championship 'great escape' before progression last season, ends two weeks before the start of the new season.

It's believed the German had been focusing on plans for the first game of the season against Leicester. However, a difficult last few months, which at times appeared to create an unsustainable situation, has now led to an agreement being reached to part ways.

Rohl had conducted individual meetings with players in an attempt to build bridges and create a fresh start. It's thought the players responded to this, with a productive last fortnight at Middlewood Road.

Wednesday had two recent training games where they defeated York City and Mansfield Town - scoring five times without conceding a goal.

Rohl's departure follows the news on Monday night that Callum Paterson was leaving for League Two MK Dons.

The Owls are left with a threadbare squad and those remaining will be keeping an eye on pay-day this week, after not receiving their wages on time for May and June.

The squad is very small and the club remains under embargo, limiting what can be done to add players.

There's constant chatter on the grapevine about the state of play regarding a takeover, with nobody able to predict whether one is likely or not, even with interested buyers out there.

We could also soon learn the outcome of EFL charges made against the club and owner Dejphon Chansiri.

The Owls have seen a number of high profile players leave the club amongst the financial turmoil behind the scenes but could see a new player added to the ranks in former Arsenal winger Reece Clairmont, 18, after taking the English teenager on trial. (Star), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip column here.

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Josh Windass' place in Sheffield Wednesday history should be secure. I suspect his impact is being somewhat overlooked since his recent departure during a calamitous summer at Hillsborough.

Let's start with the record-breaking statistics. No player has scored more Owls goals since the turn of the century. His tally of 53 will take some beating, given how much Wednesday have struggled over the years to find consistent, regular scorers.

Then there were the goals. Windass will be a candidate for a Puskas nomination for his strike against Derby from inside his own half. If you ask the player himself, he thought his wonder goal at Blackburn a season earlier – from a similar distance – was even better. Even so, it's a crime that the Derby goal didn't win the EFL's goal of the season. Windass could produce magical moments and as a commentator, having witnessed many of them, players like that are 'worth the entrance fee alone' as they say.

There's also the goal he will be most fondly remembered for among Owls fans - the Wembley winner against Barnsley. A promotion-winning goal right at the death, sending the mass of blue-and-white shirts behind the goal into ecstasy. Truth be told Wednesday were poor in that final but nobody ever talks about that. Windass read the play, was in the right place at the right time and gave Wednesday fans their first winner in the national stadium since Mark Bright in 1993.

I've interviewed Windass many times and appreciated his unpredictable nature. He could be very honest and open. You also knew when you'd asked a question he wasn't fond of, because it'd get short shrift. It was never a boring conversation and in a world where many interviews are run-of-the-mill, this was a player willing to avoid the predictable answer.

On one occasion Joe Crann from the Sheffield Star and I were given an opportunity to interview Windass for a podcast during a training camp in Spain. It was brilliant – and the conversation after even better.

It's a little bit disappointing to see some – and it's only some – Wednesday fans criticising Windass' decision to leave. He and Michael Smith had their contracts mutually terminated amid a saga that has seen players and non-football staff face delayed payment of wages.

It's amazing, really, that anyone is being criticised for wanting to move on. I'm not sure any of us would fancy sticking around given what's happened recently.

Wrexham, Windass' new club, are a stark contrast to Wednesday. Beloved owners, ambitions of going further than their rapid rise to the Championship, international attention. They'll be an attractive destination for many players.

Yet this is part of the weirdness of the summer. There's sympathy with players and staff at Hillsborough it seems, with many even saying they'd understand if people want out. Yet the minute someone goes, or tries to go, the criticism begins.

It's not the players' fault, not the manager's fault, nor the coaches or the staff, for the mess Wednesday are in. We're all waiting to see if wages will be paid for July in the coming days. That's no way to live, not knowing month-to-month whether you'll be paid. Meanwhile there's been no warm-weather camp, no public pre-season friendlies, a stadium that might not have use of the North Stand next season and there's a three-transfer window ban on fees.

Nobody wants to leave Wednesday because of the club or the fans. It's because the club, in its current state, is a shambles - with no clarity on when that's going to change.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City have signed 15-year-old Sheffield Wednesday academy striker Caelan Cadamarteri for an undisclosed fee.

The Scotland Under-16 international scored 24 goals for the club's under-18s last season.

The beleaguered Championship side are under a number of embargoes because of financial issues and owner Dejphon Chansiri is looking to sell the club.

"Sheffield Wednesday wish the very best to Caelan as he embarks on the next step of his fledgling career," the Owls said in a statement on the club website., external

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Back to the drawing board.

Last Friday, we received information that an agreement had been reached with a party interested in buying Sheffield Wednesday. Multiple sources confirmed this, with a growing belief a takeover could actually be on the cards.

Later on Friday, we also discovered that Francesco Guardascione was part of a group pursuing a purchase of Sheffield Wednesday.

There were also reports in the national media of interest from Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta but we could not find anyone to back this up.

We understand the prospect of a takeover played a part in the delayed transfer of Djeidi Gassama to Rangers.

By Monday, with that deal being widely reported in Scotland to be close to completion after all, the mood changed around a prospective takeover. Things appeared to have stalled.

There was belief that a potential buyer could provide an advance to pay outstanding bills. We understand that ended up not being the case.

With Gassama sold and fellow winger Anthony Musaba departing for Samsunspor in Turkey, players and staff were finally paid their wages for June on Tuesday.

So what now?

There are multiple parties showing interest in Sheffield Wednesday. However, even with the process being handled by a professional team with experience in selling football clubs, it's believed that negotiating a deal to buy the club is a challenging process. Words like 'unique' and 'unorthodox' are still used to describe negotiations.

We're back to a total lack of clarity on what the future holds.

Will further player sales be necessary to pay the bills? Is a points deduction from the EFL inevitable? Is the asking price to buy Sheffield Wednesday a stumbling block for any serious potential buyer? What happens to the North Stand, with a further SAG (Safety Advisory Group) meeting due on Friday where the subject will be discussed?

Dejphon Chansiri's legacy as Sheffield Wednesday owner is already set. He is overseeing a shambles.

It won't change anything now but trusting the right people to find a buyer, doing things the right way and enabling the club to move on will at least enable a line to be drawn. Is he prepared to do that?

"There has been so much negativity about Sheffield Wednesday, it's nice to have a little bit of something positive.

"On the other side, I don't think he's covered himself in any glory by how he's gone about things and I think some Wednesday fans will find it a bitter pill to swallow."

Former Owls defender Jon Newsome talks to BBC Radio Sheffield about the news that head coach Danny Rohl will return to Hillsborough after he appeared to say goodbye to the club at the end of last season.

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds.

Terms have been agreed between Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton for English midfielder Sutura Kakay, 18, to join the Saints amid financial turmoil at Hillsborough. (The Star), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Thursday's gossip column here.

Rangers have joined Wrexham in the chase for Sheffield Wednesday forward Josh Windass, 31. (Sheffield Star, external)

The Owls' former France youth international forward Djeidi Gassama, 21, is close to a move to Ibrox in a move which would help to ease the financial situation at Hillsborough. (Sheffield Star, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip column here.

BBC Radio Sheffield's Rob Staton and Adam Oxley discuss the situation at Sheffield Wednesday as the players head to St George's Park for a training camp with still no clarity on delayed payments, who will manage the team this season and other issues.

Listen to the latest episode of BBC Radio Sheffield's Wednesday podcast on BBC Sounds.