Sheffield Wednesday Exclusive: Expert issues verdict on forced Chansiri exit
Sheffield Wednesday are in a brutal position with no end to Dejphon Chansiri’s disastrous reign as owner in sight.
That is the view of football finance expert Dan Plumley, who explained to Football Insider exclusively what would need to happen for FIFA or UEFA to step in to save the Owls.
Wednesday are in turmoil. The EFL dished out another transfer embargo in June [BBC Sport], barring the Sheffield-based club from making transfers for the next three windows after Chansiri failed to pay staff wages.
Following a miraculous season in which their boss worked wonders to keep them in the Championship, seven players have left on free transfers, leaving Leicester target Danny Rohl with just 16 first-team players in his squad.
The expectation has been that the club will be sold, but Chansiri has placed an incredibly prohibitive £100million asking price on Wednesday.
Whilst Rohl has returned to the club for the time being, the Owls remain in a state of purgatory, unable to sign new players with an owner seemingly unwilling to part ways with his prized asset.
FIFA or UEFA cannot step in to save Wednesday
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, finance expert Plumley explained that in spite of the club being run into the ground, in lieu of a regulator, there was little any governing body could do to save Wednesday from their owner.
Instead, the club will have to wait for a buyer to make an offer that Chansiri deems acceptable.
Plumley explained: “At the minute, that would have to be through a sale process ultimately.
“The EFL can’t do anything at the moment, so likewise, FIFA and UEFA can’t step in. It’s not in that legislative framework.
“That might change in the future with the independent regulator. That’s something that they are looking at in terms of being able to extract current owners who are not paying bills and things like that.
“But it’s just not there at the minute in terms of the governance framework. You can look at Reading as the example that we’ve talked about, you know, the way in which the EFL were able to extract that owner was because of a legal case for him and other businesses he was involved with in China.
“That meant that they could force his hand and make him take the test again and fail it ultimately.
“So it has to get to that heightened level for the EFL to be able to step in unfortunately.
“The only way this gets resolved for Sheffield Wednesday is if the owner sells to a new group or person who can then take the club forward.
“There’s very little FIFA, UEFA, or any governing body can do at this point in time.”
Djeidi Gassama move to Rangers stalls
Amid the utter chaos taking place at Hillsborough, Pete O’Rourke exclusively told Football Insider that Djeidi Gassama’s move to Rangers has stalled.
Despite a fee being agreed and the winger preparing for his move to Scotland, Wednesday’s leadership were having second thoughts on selling the Frenchman.
Rangers are still keen on Gassama and Wednesday seem to be playing a dangerous game, considering the EFL may decide to allow their players to leave for free if wages continue to go unpaid.