13 October 2023 , 12:21
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Sheffield Wednesday have named former Germany, Bayern Munich and Southampton assistant manager Danny Rohl as their new boss.
Rohl replaces ex-Watford manager Xisco Munoz, who endured a horror stint in the Hillsborough dugout. Wednesday collected just two points from his 10 Championship matches, leaving them rock-bottom of the second tier.
Darren Moore, who memorably led the Owls back to the Championship last term, left the club under a cloud over the summer and returned as manager of Huddersfield on Saturday. The two sides played out a goalless draw, and now Rohl will look to catapult Wednesday up the table and launch a survival bid.
Aged just 34, it is Rohl's maiden role as a No.1, but he brings a wealth of experience working alongside elite players as an assistant to Hansi Flick and Ralf Hassenhuttl. He helped Saints escape the drop in the Premier League in 2018-19 before assisting Flick as Bayern won the Bundesliga and Champions League.
He followed Flick into the Germany national team dugout, but the duo were relieved of their duties last month. It left Rohl free to pursue his dream of managing in England, and he now joins one of this country's perennial underachievers.
Newcastle dumped out of FA Cup after upset at hands of Sheffield Wednesday
Wednesday are a club in turmoil with fans unhappy at the ownership of Thai businessman Dejphon Chansiri, who purchased the Hillsborough club from Milan Mandaric in January 2015. Brief flirtations with promotion to the Premier League followed, but a points deduction saw them relegated to League One in the Covid-affected season of 2020-21.
Rohl (R) alongside Hansi Flick as assistant manager of Germany (DeFodi Images via Getty Images)A scarcely-believable playoff campaign, where the Owls overcame a 4-0 first-leg deficit against Peterborough to reach the final then beat local rivals Barnsley with the last kick of extra-time at Wembley, threatened a resurgence. But a summer of upheaval, including some questionable recruitment, has seen storm clouds gather over one of English football's famous old cathedrals.
Rohl will now be tasked with reversing the club's fortunes, but they already sit seven points adrift of Championship safety. His first game will come at Vicarage Road when Wednesday travel to take on Watford after the international break.