Stoke City’s Championship rivals can’t use much of their training ground, have coaching staff out of contract, no pre-season friendlies, a manager desperate to leave and players who could walk away for nothing
Captain Barry Bannan is among the players who could leave Sheffield Wednesday amid a major crisis at Hillsborough.(Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
Sheffield Wednesday could face a mass exodus from Monday unless they suddenly find the money to pay players’ wages.
Wednesday have been in crisis since the spring, paying March wages late and are still believed to have not paid wages to some players for May. The next month’s payment is due on Monday and Fifa regulations are clear about players’ rights unless there is an imminent resolution.
The rules state: “In the case of a club unlawfully failing to pay a player at least two monthly salaries on their due dates, the player will be deemed to have a just cause to terminate his contract, provided that he has put the debtor club in default in writing and has granted a deadline of at least 15 days for the debtor club to fully comply with its financial obligation(s). Alternative provisions in contracts existing at the time of this provision coming into force may be considered.”
Some wages for May have been paid. The Guardian claims that owner Dephon Chansiri has prioritised “the younger players and those under contract were paid in order to protect their resale value”.
Senior men Barry Bannan, Callum Paterson and Akin Famewo, who are out of contract at the end of June, have reportedly rejected new deals and “it is unclear whether they have been paid”. The Sheffield Star says that Bannan still turned up for the first day of pre-season training on Thursday but Paterson and Famewo did not.
The turmoil does not end there.
The Guardian adds: “All of Danny Röhl’s coaching staff are also out of contract next week and the manager, despite having two years on a contract that includes a seven-figure release clause, is expected to depart sooner rather than later.”
Rohl has been linked strongly with Leicester City, after Ruud van Nistelrooy’s departure this week.
The late or non payment on wages, plus previous late payment of HMRC bills earlier this season, means that Wednesday have been handed a three-window transfer embargo by the EFL.
No pre-season friendlies have been announced and renovations are unfinished on pitches at the Middlewood Road training ground, meaning that players can only use the gym at the moment.
The club is apparently scrambling around to find an alternative venue for training next week and is planning to use St George’s Park, where they spent time last summer, from July 7.
“It is hoped that the grass facilities at Middlewood Road will be closer to full capability the following week,” reports the Star.
Wednesday start the Championship season in front of the live TV cameras at Leicester on August 10. They host Stoke City in their first home match at Hillsborough on August 16.
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