First brick of Danny Röhl’s Sheffield Wednesday coaching staff removed with deal announced
Having not been present in the early stages of pre-season, the German coach has been the subject of protracted talks with the club over the terms of his release having made his feelings on the prospect of entering a second full season at Hillsborough known as far back as April.
And earlier this week, amid the circling chaos of financial crisis, his expensively-assembled coaching staff effectively left the club as their Owls contracts came to an end. Henrik Pedersen, understood to be a likely potential option to replace Röhl as his exit talks enter their later stages, reported to the testing stage of Wednesday’s pre-season return.
And while it remains to be seen where the likes of Sascha Lense and Chris Powell end up, one Röhl backroom addition who has now sealed his next move is Sal Bibbo.
The well-liked goalkeeping coach, who has earned praise from Wednesday goalkeepers for his approach to both training and man-management, was reported to be of interest to Rangers by The Star some weeks ago. That deal has now been announced, with the former Arsenal man having been officially added to Russell Martin’s new-look coaching staff in Glasgow.
Bibbo effectively replaces Gers legend Allan McGregor after the former Scotland international left along with temporary boss Barry Ferguson at the end of the season. He takes tutelage of a goalkeeping unit led by England international Jack Butland.
The appointment puts the first full stop on the dismantling of Röhl’s backroom staff as Wednesday head into what remains a difficult summer. The departure of the German coach is expected with discussions entering formative stages, The Star is led to believe, which it is hoped would accelerate the Owls’ pressing on with what comes next as they prepare to head to St George’s Park for a mini-training camp next week.
Your next Sheffield Wednesday read: Bad to worse as Sheffield Wednesday are hit with triple embargo after another breach
Sheffield Wednesday miss City payment for Akin Famewo
Stricken Sheffield Wednesday have missed a payment to Norwich City relating to Akin Famewo’s move to Hillsborough in 2022.
Points deduction viewed as ‘inevitable’ as Sheffield Wednesday hit with third EFL embargo
Last month, the besieged Owls were placed under a transfer embargo due to non payment of players’ wages – a breach of regulation 54.1.
The punishment will last three windows, with the club unable to pay fees to recruit players until the winter window in January 2027. The club have announced plans to appeal.
Another embargo was later lodged against the club regarding HMRC reporting under regulation 17.3 – due to non-payments to them.
In a new development, details of a third embargo have appeared on the embargo reporting service of the EFL’s website regarding money owed to other clubs under regulation 52.2.3 covering non-payment of transfer fees.
It follows national reports which revealed that Wednesday owe money to Southampton for the loan and/or re-loan of Shea Charles last season – and to Norwich City for the transfer of Akin Famewo.
The report in the Daily Telegraph went onto state that ‘many’ other clubs were also owed fees, with the likelihood of a points sanction against Wednesday described as ‘inevitable’.
The Owls are experiencing all manner of financial turmoil under chairman Dejphon Chansiri. Earlier this week, news broke that the club had failed to pay their senior players on time for the third occasion in the last four months
FIFA regulations state that any player who has not received their salary on the correct date for two consecutive months can terminate their contract.
Six players have already reportedly handed in their notices over back-to-back months of late wage payments, with some players understood to still be waiting on money owed for May.
First-team players were also paid late in March, and in the last two months both backroom staff and non-footballing employees have not been paid on time.
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