Burnley
Blackburn Rovers
Coventry City
Derby County
Leeds United
Luton Town
Middlesbrough
Millwall
Norwich City
Portsmouth
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield United
QPR
Danny Rohl says he looks back on his time at Sheffield Wednesday fondly despite his messy Hillsborough exit – and he’s pinpointed his favourite moment from his time at the club.
The German severed ties with the South Yorkshire outfit at the end of July following weeks of speculation surrounding his future. Owner Dejphon Chansiri had plunged the club into disarray, with Sheffield Wednesday fan protests still mounting after a summer of player contract terminations following unpaid wages and Rohl’s departure.
Rohl’s former no.2 Chris Powell has lifted the lid on the issues at Hillsborough since he left at the end of his contract, including revelations on Chansiri’s ‘bizarre’ transfer policy.
Now, in an in-depth interview with The Times, Rohl has discussed all about his time at the Championship club, including when first he thought Sheffield Wednesday were in trouble. But despite the chaotic end to his tenure there, there are two moments in particular he still holds dear.
Danny Rohl cherishes Barry Bannan calls and Sheffield Wednesday fans’ reception at Watford
Speaking to The Times, Rohl pointed to his side’s final game of last season as his favourite moment as Owls boss.
His side had secured a 12th place finish in the Championship, their highest since the 2018/19 season under Steve Bruce when Wednesday ended that campaign in the same position.
Rohl highlighted his subsequent phone calls with captain Barry Bannan and the reception from the fans at Vicarage Road as his highlight.
“That was a great moment and if you ask me now,” he said. “I had the best time as manager in Sheffield. I love the fans, love my players. I love even our [training] facility.
“But I have emotion and I am ambitious. I don’t want to finish 15th. I need the mindset of [feeling] you’re moving forwards. I want to say this again: it was never that I changed my attitude. The love was always there. And I was so sad to leave.”
Rohl left the club by mutual consent.
Danny Rohl’s impact at Sheffield Wednesday
Rohl arrived at Wednesday in October 2023, becoming the youngest manager in the EFL. Ironically, it was a 1-0 defeat against Watford that led Powell to call on fans to be patient with the German, who was taking on his first managerial position.
The Owls had won 3 points from 11 games when he was appointed manager, but after four wins in seven matches in December 2023, Rohl was nominated for the EFL Championship Manager of the Month. In his first 25 matches, Wednesday picked up 36 points, with only eight teams accruing more in that time.
He saved Wednesday from relegation on the final game of the season with a 2-0 win against Sunderland and went on to sign a new deal until 2027.
- READ MORE: West Brom fans will love Baggies star’s attitude to being international talisman in World Cup dream
In December, the Owls secured 11 points from seven games and Rohl was once again nominated for Manager of the Month, before going on to finish 12th in May.