Sheffield Wednesday: EFL’s ‘brave’ call to waive 15‑point penalty correct despite Championship ‘kickback’
Sheffield Wednesday’s new ownership should not be penalised for helping save the Championship club from liquidation.
That is the view of former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking to Football Insider, as rival clubs are unhappy at the EFL waiving Sheffield Wednesday’s 15 point deduction.
The Owls were expected to start next season in League One on minus 15 points, but the EFL reversed that decision after a takeover of the club was completed.
A consortium, led by David Storch, confirmed they had taken over Sheffield Wednesday before their final game of the Championship season.
Storch was in attendance at a full Hillsborough as Sheffield Wednesday earned just their second league win of the season against West Brom to round off what was a difficult campaign for the whole club.
EFL given ‘great kudos’ after Sheffield Wednesday announcement
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – states that Derby are one club unhappy at the EFL’s decision not to impose a point deduction on Sheffield Wednesday.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness thinks the EFL were correct to waive the penalty.
| Games | 50 |
| Games Won | 4 |
| Games Drawn | 12 |
| Games Lost | 34 |
| Goals Scored | 40 |
| Goals Conceded | 98 |
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I understand the kickback from other clubs, Derby, who had to go through this sort of process and didn’t get the flexibility that they’ve shown Sheffield Wednesday.
“But I have been very clear that Dejphon Chansiri, the previous owner, is the one that should be penalised and not the present owners who are trying to do the right thing. It’s money flowing out of the game that they could have spent on the stadium or the squad and improving Sheffield Wednesday.
“To say that that’s the way it’s got to happen, I think is wrong. The EFL were actually right to waive the 15 points and I give them great kudos for being brave enough to change that.
“I also understand that you’ve got to be consistent with the way that you apply rules. But in this case, I think the rules need to be changed a little bit and given more flexibility to act like they’ve done.”
New Sheffield Wednesday owners make first behind-the-scenes hire
One of the first key appointments that Storch has made at Sheffield Wednesday was the appointment of David Bruce as their new chief executive.
Wyness previously told Football Insider that Bruce would be a smart appointment by Sheffield Wednesday thanks to his background at Sunderland.
Bruce held the position of Chief Business Officer at the Stadium of Light, and was held in high regard at the club, helping them increase commercial revenue.
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