"You've got to act now" - Exclusive: Chris Waddle drops Danny Rohl, Sheffield Wednesday future claim | OneFootball

The former Owls winger weighs in on Danny Rohl's impact and Wednesday's uncertain future

When Danny Rohl arrived at Sheffield Wednesday in October 2023, the club sat rock bottom of the Championship and looked destined for relegation.

Fast forward to the end of his second season, and Rohl has masterminded a remarkable turnaround - steering the Owls to a mid-table finish and reigniting belief among supporters.

His blend of tactical clarity, emotional intelligence, and sheer resilience has impressed fans and pundits alike.

Former Wednesday winger Chris Waddle is among those who have been struck by Rohl’s impact in such difficult circumstances.

Danny Rohl’s coaching credentials are clear after a stunning Championship revival

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Football League World, former Sheffield Wednesday winger Chris Waddle was asked what had stood out most about the German coach’s Owls impact.

“I like his tactics, I think he is - let's be perfectly honest - not blessed with the best players in the Championship.” Waddle told FLW.

“I think everybody knows that. I think he's obviously had a struggle at the start, but he found his system, which especially away from home, even when we were going down, they could come back and win football matches.

“I like this style of his tactics he got with the players he had, I think it was very limited, he didn't really have a budget. You know, it was a lot of free transfers, there was a lot of players who played in League One with that team. I thought he got them organised, he got them together.

“The players obviously rolled their sleeves up and gave it 110%, and he got his reward. You know, at one stage, we were talking about getting in the playoffs, which was amazing.

“You know, and unfortunately, it fell away towards the end, and the home form cost them, but if somebody had said at the start of the season, you'd finish halfway up the league, well away from relegation, I think all the Wednesday fans would have took that. So he has done a great job and I can see why all the fans obviously want him to stay."

Waddle further pointed out the off field issues surrounding Rohl's Owls tenure.

“You know, at the minute there's a cloud over the club again. Is he selling, is he not selling? Is it going to run and run and run till it's too late when you can't sign players? And a lot of these players will be leaving, a lot will be leaving. And Danny Rohl might even be leaving.

“So the club needs to sort itself out very, very quickly because you can't wait around in football. You've got to act now. And you've got to make a decision and this is what's going to happen and at the minute, nobody knows anything.

“There's a lot of players to be released. We know there's two or three talking about extending a contract for another year. But realistically, this needs sorting out now and they need to say if Danny Rohl staying or leaving, whoever is going to be the new manager and whatever, and they needed to sign the players what are needed for next season now to get everything ready for when they would report towards the end of June.”

Sheffield Wednesday’s progress under Danny Rohl could be undone without urgent leadership decisions

Danny Rohl’s Wednesday progress is now at risk. With several contracts due to expire, no clear transfer plan in place, and fresh uncertainty surrounding the club’s ownership, the momentum built over the past seven months could quickly unravel.

Rohl has repeatedly made it clear that he wants to work at the highest level, and unless the Owls can match his ambition - with infrastructure, stability, and strategic investment - they may struggle to keep him.

Premier League clubs such as Crystal Palace and Fulham, as well as top sides across Europe, are circling. Rohl’s star is rising, and Wednesday must act decisively if they want to remain part of his journey.

As much as this season has been about surviving and rebuilding, the real question now is what comes next - and whether the club is ready to meet the challenge of keeping hold of a manager who’s clearly going places.