Football League World
·10 February 2024
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·10 February 2024
Sheffield Wednesday fans are crying out for a change of ownership amid a major loss of trust and increasing pressure on the unpopular Dejphon Chansiri.
The Thai businessman is now facing calls that he should not be involved in transfer business after the failure to let Lee Gregory - who hasn't been named in the 25-man Sheffield Wednesday squad that has been submitted to the EFL - depart in January.
Chansiri has repeatedly damaged his relationship with fans with decisions and poor communication, leading to protests from supporters.
The Owls have failed to push on since their 96-point haul and League One play-offs win last season and are languishing in the Championship relegation zone, with just 26 points from their opening 31 games.
Despite adding four players to the squad on loan deals in January, Chansiri is facing further criticism for reportedly rejecting offers for players that have not been named in manager Rohl's squad for the remainder of the season, such as Gregory.
Experienced Championship striker Lee Gregory is among the most high-profile of the players that have been left out of Danny Rohl's squad.
Lee Gregory, Juan Delgado, Callum Paterson and Jeff Hendrick have all missed out after the Sheffield Wednesday boss named just 22 out of a possible 25 players, and whilst any of those players could be added in in the future, it's more likely that Rohl will go down the free agents route.
While Paterson and Delgado are both injured, Gregory has been completely left out and is therefore just being paid to train, despite Sheffield Wednesday's struggles in front of goal this season.
The decision to leave the 35-year-old ex-Millwall man out is made even more concerning for Wednesday fans, with Gregory linked with a move away in January.
According to The Star, Wednesday reportedly rejected offers for some players late in the window, with owner Dejphon Chansiri understood to have demanded some high fees that prospective buyers were not willing to pay.
Sheffield Wednesday are the lowest scorers in the Championship this season, only netting 24 times in their opening 31 league games.
The Yorkshire side's struggles in front of goal is a key reason for their poor league position, making the decision to neither register Gregory nor move him on more concerning.
Gregory has had a productive career in front of goal and featured 47 times in all competitions last season for Wednesday, including 41 times in League One.
He has scored 29 goals in 101 appearances for the Owls, including his side's only goal as they were defeated by promotion-chasing Southampton in August.
Gregory evidently has the ability in front of goal and leaving him out of the squad entirely, particularly with three spots left unfilled, seems like an unusual decision.
Chansiri has already proved to Sheffield Wednesday fans that he has no real interest in the success of the club on or off the pitch.
His repeated decision to raise ticket prices and the way he deals with fans has made him more and more unpopular.
And the latest saga involving Gregory and the club's recruitment in general makes it clear he should not be involved in recruitment at all.
While Gregory now sits out in the cold due to Chansiri's demands for a higher fee for a player who is out of contract at the end of the season and not playing, Wednesday look almost certain to be relegated back to League One due to their scoring struggles.
Whether Chansiri sells the club or not, he should relinquish control of the club's recruitment and leave it to someone more qualified and experienced to manage.
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