Exclusive: Sheffield Wednesday Expect Manager Danny Rohl Departure After Watford Finale

Sheffield Wednesday’s hierarchy expect this weekend’s match against Watford to be Danny Rohl’s final match in charge.

The German, who has been linked with both Southampton and RB Leipzig in recent months, is understood to have informed senior figures within the Hillsborough dressing room that he plans to leave South Yorkshire this summer following less than two years in charge.

Although Rohl recently acknowledged that he has come to a decision about his future, neither he nor Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri have stated exactly what that verdict is. 

But SportsBoom has been told that both players and coaching staff alike accept that the former defender will be moving on after his relationship with Chansiri became increasingly strained during the second half of a campaign which concludes at Vicarage Road on Saturday.

Indeed, talks about who will replace Rohl are known to have gathered pace of late with his assistant, Henrik Pedersen, emerging as Chansiri’s preferred choice.

Previously assistant manager of the German national team, Rohl gave no indication about his thinking during an interview with Wednesday’s website ahead of the visit to Hertfordshire.

“We have one more week, one more game and we have to finish the season well,” he said. “It’s been my first full season as a manager and it’s tough in the Championship as you have to deliver every week and sometimes every three days.”

POWER BROKERS

But Wednesday’s power brokers accept that Rohl is set for pastures new, having grown increasingly frustrated by what he perceives as a lack of support at boardroom level and the club’s financial issues. 

Earlier this term they were threatened with a transfer embargo after failing to pay staff salaries on time, although the matter was subsequently resolved before that punishment was triggered by the English Football League.

After saving Wednesday from relegation during his first campaign in charge, Rohl had hoped to build upon that achievement by steering them into the play-offs this term. 

However, that dream effectively vanished when Wednesday were beaten for the second time by arch-rivals Sheffield United last month. Since then, protests against Chansiri’s regime have swelled on the terraces.

Even if the Thai businessman agrees to sell his shareholding, a change at the top will come too late to prompt a change of heart from Rohl amid interest from Southamptom. 

He worked at St Mary’s before being appointed by Wednesday in October 2024. Rohl has also been a member of the Red Bull project in Leipzig, together with Pedersen.

SAINTS INTEREST

Southampton, whose relegation from the Premier League has now been mathematically confirmed, tried to land Rohl in January but were put off by the £5m release clause which was inserted into his most recent Wednesday contract.

But that figure is known to fall by around £3m if he is lured away by a team outside of England’s top-flight. 

Southampton are also understood to have held talks with Will Still, presently of French outfit Lens, about their vacant managerial position. 

He impressed at Reims before heading to Stade Bollaert-Delelis and has also worked with Lierse and Beerschot in his native Belgium.

Like Rohl, Still speaks fluent English.