Sheffield Wednesday and the current situation regarding part-payment of player salaries is a hot topic at the moment.
Sheffield Wednesday suffered both on and off the pitch last season with behind-closed-doors instability affecting the pitch.
Already starting with a points deduction, the Owls were always swimming against the tide as the season wore on.
It was inevitable to some and a final day, battling 3-3 draw against Derby County wasn’t enough to stave off relegation.
The instability of four managers, failing performances and a lack of cohesion was one set of factors but they have all been trumped by a bigger deal – itself a carryover from the 2020/21 Championship campaign.
Sheffield Wednesday – wage fiasco
It became apparent in May that Wednesday’s players had been left short a portion of their wages and this was relayed by Telegraph duo Mike McGrath and John Percy.
It’s all kind of ballooned from there. Owner Dejphon Chansiri petitioned the players about furlough, then reports of players considering handing in their notice before the Sun on Sunday story (06/06/21, pg. 63) about the £12m scale of outstanding wages.
That’s a summary but brings a stark reminder of the fiasco that has developed over little more than a month from the beginning of May.
Wage fiasco – positive news
Now Sheffield Star reporter Joe Crann writes that more “positive murmurs suggest progress” towards resolving this financial strife.
Crann writes that the ridding of high wage earners such as Jordan Rhodes, Kieren Westwood, Tom Lees and Adam Reach will help free up funds.
This will be added to as well with savings of those released at the end of their contracts – meaning that from July 1st Dejphon Chansiri will have “more wriggle room.”
Crann adds that noises from the club “suggest that the current wages situation is the priority over anything else at present” with Chansiri said to be looking to put an end to what has developed into a fiasco.
There is no definite date mentioned when Chansiri will finally resolve the issue of the salary shortfall. What Crann does say though is that July 1st is seen as a positive, watershed moment/.
