Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl’s imminent departure will send ripples through the club, with one man in particular set to struggle.
Sheffield Wednesday’s preparations for the 2025/26 season, if any, have been overshadowed by the ongoing crisis headed by owner Dejphon Chansiri.
As July approaches, a select number of players are still yet to be paid for May, and the issues continue with staff also set to not be paid on time again.
Aside from the obvious and most important issues regarding payments to players and staff, pre-season has seemingly taken a huge hit with Danny Rohl not taking training.
Sheffield Wednesday are making progress to relieve Rohl of his duties, which could leave one player in particular in the dark over his Owls future.
Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty ImagesDanny Rohl’s departure from Sheffield Wednesday could have a significant impact on Charlie McNeill
There is no doubt that, during his spell in S6, Rohl has left a significant mark on every player.
Taking over from the incompetent Xisco Munoz, Rohl managed to keep Sheffield Wednesday up against all odds, and then followed it up with a respectable 12th-place finish the following season.
Rohl had instated a long-term plan at the club, with the German looking towards youngsters far more often, such as Pierce Charles, who has transformed into a solid Championship player.
One of the next players who were set to be part of Rohl’s plans and be brought into the first team was Charlie McNeill, whom Rohl has previously spoken fondly of.
After signing in the summer of 2024, McNeill’s game time was limited, aside from spells in the League Cup on Rohl’s side.
Speaking to The Star in February, Rohl said: “Charlie is a long-term project, that was the key in the summer when we decided to sign him.
“His commitment here is every day, it is fantastic how he trained and this is a part of how we think. We need the commitment, we need to be on the one page everybody together. I see a group and with Charlie I see a player who is always pushing, trying, moving forward.
“From the outside I can maybe understand a little bit of disappointment but when you look to the long-term we will see what we can do in the second leg and especially in the summer. A good example is Bailey, he went out and got the minutes and it is a little bit of a pity that he is injured now but he scored eight goals and it is a good step. Why not?”
Photo by George Wood/Getty ImagesCharlie McNeill’s long-term Owls future may now be derailed
McNeill’s game time was rather low last season, but as Rohl has shown during his time at the club, he was always willing to give the necessary game time to youngsters.
The former Man United gem certainly would have been on Rohl’s radar to utilise more, but with the German moving on, it could be argued that McNeill’s chances of breaking through in S6 may now be severely hampered.
Especially in the away League Cup win against Hull City last season, McNeill has shown promise – Rohl wouldn’t have signed him if he didn’t have a high potential after all.
With a different coach likely to come in to replace Rohl, who was the coach with the long-term plan for the attacker, it would be no surprise to see McNeill consider his future at the club and whether he is likely to get the game time needed for his development.