A five-hour fan forum held by Sheffield Wednesday chairman Dejphon Chansiri on Wednesday evening was dominated by questions over his relationship with Owls manager Danny Röhl.
Chansiri suggested the onus was on Röhl to make contact with him over transfers in what is a vitally important month for the club – and pointed to the club’s busy summer, plus the instalment of an expensively-assembled backroom staff as an example of his backing of the Wednesday boss.
In one of several conversations with supporters present about his relationship with Röhl, Chansiri said: “You ask about an issue? I wonder. I don’t have an issue with him, does he have an issue with me? I don’t know. But if you say maybe he has an issue with me but I don’t support him? It’s a no. I support him with everything. I don’t know what we have issue with. What it is, I don’t know? I give him everything, more than (he requested). I don’t have an issue with him, I don’t know if he has or not.
“You need to go out and ask him, or ask the media. The media maybe can tell you, maybe he can tell you what he has an issue with, I don’t know.”
Röhl is scheduled to hold a press conference with local media on Friday, ahead of Sunday’s Yorkshire derby clash with Leeds United. The issues raised in the fan forum is likely to dominate the questioning. Chansiri went on to suggest he had ‘prepared’ for the window should the stalemate between the pair continue and repeatedly reminded those present that deals are often done late in the winter window – which he accepted was a difficult one to do business in.
“You know what they ask,” Chansiri continued on forthcoming media engagements with Röhl. “I don’t know about his interviews. I mentioned from the beginning that I will do the best for the club and you don’t need to worry – if we need that or need that. I do not do damage to my club, so I can commit that I do my best. As a leader here I try my best, but I cannot do it by myself.
“I say from the beginning that I prepare something behind the scenes. To guarantee, make sure this window will be fine.” Asked if Röhl is ‘OK with that’, Chansiri said: “I don’t know.”
Returning to the room after taking a phone call as Wednesday turned to Thursday, Chansiri broke news to the room that star figure Shea Charles had been recalled by Southampton. Coupled with injuries in a misfiring backline, the Owls owner accepted reinforcements were required – but suggested it was up to the manager to approach him to discuss the team’s requirements.
“He needs to speak to me,” Chansiri said. “I do not go to speak to him. If he does not talk to me then how can I know what he wants? I said from the beginning that if he does not talk to me, that must mean he does not need anything. If he needs anything, he needs to come to me and tell me. I said before, I do not go to him and say ‘Please, please’, it makes no sense. I back every coach. I back every coach. What’s wrong? I don’t know.
“I am happy to talk with him, if he wants to talk with me. I am the boss, right? An employee comes to talk with me. It’s not like I go to employers and say ‘Hey, you want to spend some money?’”
Chansiri was then advised to end the answer there by senior Wednesday colleagues on the top table. The saga paints a troubling picture for the club, who sit three points outside the Championship play-off places in 10th place.
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