Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl is attracting interest from managerless Southampton.
According to Florian Plettenberg, the Saints are in talks with the German coach over potentially taking charge at St. Mary’s, with Teamtalk also claiming that he is open to a move amid confidence a deal can be struck with the Owls.
The Premier League side are looking for a replacement for Russell Martin, who was dismissed at the weekend following the team’s 5-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
Rohl has been in charge at Sheffield Wednesday since October 2023, and has the team sitting ninth in the Championship table.
Danny Rohl's Sheffield Wednesday record - as of Dec. 17th (all competitions as per Transfermarkt)
Games
63
Danny Rohl Sheffield Wednesday exit verdict
danny rohl
Palmer believes it would be a massive blow for Sheffield Wednesday to lose Rohl given the fantastic work he’s done at the club over the last year.
He has claimed that Rohl has brought optimism back to the club, having taken over with the team dead and buried in the relegation zone.
“There’s a lot of rumours circling around Danny Rohl,” Palmer told Football League World.
“Obviously he’s done a fantastic job at Sheffield Wednesday, there is no hiding around that, Sheffield Wednesday were down, they were buried last season.
“And he did a fantastic job to keep them up.
“They are now ninth in the table, which is a fantastic achievement in the Championship, 29 points, they’re only five points off a play-off place.
“But rumours are circling, and they will continue to do so while Danny Rohl does the job that he does, that he has been linked with the Southampton job with the sacking of Russell Martin.
“So Sheffield Wednesday are worried that they could lose Danny Rohl, and Shea Charles, who is on loan from Southampton, doing a fantastic job.
“Obviously, I think, if I’m correct, that Mr Chansiri put in a £5 million clause if any club wanted to take Danny Rohl.
“He’s come in there, lifted the club, he’s created optimism.
“Like I’ve said, if they remained in the league and finished above halfway this season it would be a good platform for them to kick on, now he’s got them within five points of the play-offs.
“So, of course the supporters are starting to dream of a play-off place.
“It would be a huge loss to Sheffield Wednesday if Danny Rohl was to depart.”
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Palmer has warned Rohl that he will have a big task ahead of him, should he take over at Southampton in place of Martin, who he criticised for not adapting to his players.
“I’m a big fan of Russell Martin, but you can’t continue to do what he did, one win in 16 games, you have to change,” he added.
“If you haven’t got the players to play the way you want, although you have you principles, you have to adapt.
“Until you get the players in the football club that can play the system that you want to do, you have to change, and Russell Martin stuck to his guns and, unfortunately, they had to remove him from the football club.
“It’ll be a tall order for Danny Rohl [at Southampton].
“They’re sat at the bottom of the league on five points, goal difference is poor, it would have to be some turnaround for whoever took over at Southampton to get them out of the position that they’re in.
“Wolves have also got rid of their manager, so you would think an upturn in their fortunes, Ipswich Town are down the bottom there but they’ve been in every game they’ve played, they’ve not often been outplayed in the Premier League, and Leicester are down there.
“It would be a dogfight until the end of the season, but this would be bad news for Sheffield Wednesday to lose Danny Rohl.”
Russell Martin
Southampton are in a similar place to Sheffield Wednesday of last season
Southampton look lost at the bottom of the Premier League table, much like Sheffield Wednesday were when Rohl arrived last year.
Those similarities mean that it’s no surprise the Saints are eyeing the German, who did excellently to guide the Owls to safety last season.
The jump up to the top flight will be a tough test of his credentials as a coach, but that experience with the Yorkshire outfit will be invaluable if he takes over at Southampton.
It’s hard to see the Saints staying up regardless of who they appoint, but Rohl might just be the best realistic candidate for the role, much to Sheffield Wednesday’s disappointment.