"Really refreshing" - Danny Rohl's Sheffield Wednesday approach gains plaudits | OneFootball

Despite a mediocre start, our Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit explains why he is so happy with Danny Rohl's manner in leading the Owls

This article is part of Football League World’s 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Despite the threat of mid-table mediocrity or a potential relegation battle looming, Danny Rohl's impact at Sheffield Wednesday has been duly noted by the club's supporters.

Many have been impressed by the German since his move to the Owls back in October 2023, and he not only kept them in the Championship last season, but they are also playing some good stuff among the big hitters of the division in 2024-25.

Whilst we are still in the early days of the current campaign and many things could change, there are some promising signs coming from the South Yorkshire club, and their can't be many complaints about the way Rohl is choosing to do things.

Danny Rohl has been a revelation at Sheffield Wednesday

When asked on Rohl's style of play that he has employed as a manager, FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit, Patrick McKenna, had nothing but good things to say about his influence on the on-field approach.

Referencing the manager's attacking intent and desire to play expansive football, Patrick compared the improvement under Rohl to the club's previous managers, but also cited the quality of players at Wednesday as a potential issue for the coach's tactics.

"I absolutely love the style of play Danny Rohl uses at the club," Patrick said.

"I think it's really refreshing that we finally have a young manager who is intelligent and is seeking to play a modern type of football with high pressing and attacking intent. We look to get the ball up the field and out wide with a bit of intelligence to our play.

"As I eluded to, Danny Rohl is a young coach and he's still learning in the game.

"Yes, he's made mistakes so far, but managers learn from their mistakes and he's not pig-headed. We can always bounce back from sticky patches, like the three or four losses after our opening day win, and the fact that we survived last season."

Rohl's desire is what may set him apart from previous Sheffield Wednesday managers. The attempt the German is making to implement an exciting style and keep fans on the edge of their seats is what has made him revered among the fan base, according to our pundit.

However, it has not always been smooth sailing for Wednesday this season. They're 15th in the table, with five wins from 15 games and sit three points above the relegation zone, but that is perhaps in and around where they may expect to be at the end of the season, given their budget.

The Owls' main issue has come defensively, as they have conceded the league's joint fourth most goals.

Potentially a repercussion of Rohl's open, attacking approach, this has resulted in some heavy losses, such as their 2-6 home defeat to Watford. However, there is some suggestion that this is less a symptom of Rohl's failings, and more so an issue with the personnel in his squad.

Danny Rohl's Sheffield Wednesday perhaps lack the quality of player needed for his methods

FLW's Wednesday fan pundit Patrick was quick to note that Wednesday's poor results are rarely the fault of the manager, and instead fall on the shoulders of players who are not quite good enough for the Championship.

"I think it is quite noticeable that we don't have the quality of players to play Rohl's ideal style of football," Patrick added.

"We spent a good bit of time in pre-season working on a 4-2-3-1 formation and on the opening day we won 4-0, and it seemed it would work for the season. But Danny Rohl's style has always been adaptable."

As the statistics show, Rohl's Owls are not excelling in any notable areas, and are towards the back end of the league in most figures. However, the satisfaction from fans such as Patrick would indicate that the Wednesday boss is doing something right.

Without the necessary players at his disposable, there is little the German can do to improve the club's prospects, other than to continue implementing an exhilarating brand of football that keeps supporters engaged.

Danny Rohl potentially departing is a big worry for Sheffield Wednesday

Regarding Rohl, Patrick's main concern was the manager potentially departing the club, which may result in Wednesday reverting to their old ways.

"We've had many managers over the years who've played dull football and have lacked the intelligence to know how to change the game. While he's here I will very much appreciate Danny Rohl's football," Patrick said.

"My fear is that once he's gone, the next manager will go back to a boring style of football.

"I've been a big fan of Rohl so far, he works on a good playing style and he's getting it right."

While an exit from Wednesday does not look likely given a lack of rumours surrounding any potential interest, Patrick's affections for Rohl demonstrate that he has brought Wednesday into the modern football era.

Fans are excited to watch the Owls aiming to win games, and clearly hope that Rohl sticks around.

Although his current crop of players may not be quite up to par, the Wednesday fan base will be hoping that owner Dejphon Chansiri will recruit some top talent to allow Rohl to truly flourish at the club.