"Mismanagement by the club" - Claim made on "strange" Sheffield Wednesday call involving Lee Gregory | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk‘ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Sheffield Wednesday made the surprise decision not to allow striker Lee Gregory to leave the club in the January transfer window.

Gregory joined the Owls from Stoke City in August 2021, and he has established himself as a firm fan favourite at Hillsborough, scoring 11 goals and providing six assists in 47 appearances in all competitions last season to help the club to promotion from League One.

The 35-year-old remained a regular at the start of the campaign under former manager Xisco Munoz, but his game time has become increasingly limited since Danny Rohl's arrival in October.

Gregory has made just one substitute appearance since the end of October, frequently being left out of the matchday squad altogether, and he was widely expected to leave the club in January.

Derby County and Mansfield Town were among those who were keen to sign Gregory last month, but terms could not be agreed, and he stayed in South Yorkshire.

Gregory was not included in the Owls' 25-man squad list submitted to the EFL last week, but Rohl has left spaces open to add players over the rest of the season, and the German says that the door is not closed on the striker.

"I’ve never seen before a player who takes these things like him," Rohl told The Star. "He’s still training hard, he is ready when I say yes, he’s given me a feeling that he’s absolutely on my side, on my page. In the end it is what it is.

"He is still part of my team, and the good thing is that I still have open space on the list - it means that if we need him then he will be ready. I think he deserves all the credit, he’s done well for the whole club, but this is sometimes football... Some decisions we have to take, and I think he’s shown his professional attitude."

Wednesday boosted their survival hopes with a 2-0 home win over Birmingham City on Friday night, and they currently sit 23rd in the table, five points from safety.

Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit on Lee Gregory situation

FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit Callum Maxted criticised the club for not allowing Gregory to leave in January, and he believes it is another example of mismanagement by owner Dejphon Chansiri.

"In a short answer, yes, he should have been let out," Callum said.

"I don't think Rohl is doing anything wrong by leaving him out to fit in two players that he would prefer, it's just mismanagement by the club again really to be honest.

"Mismanagement of a player who, for two years, has given us his absolute all and knows what it means to be an Owl really.

"I think it just goes back to the ownership again really because you've got a player who is probably past his point of playing Championship football, who had a chance to go and get a promotion with Derby or Mansfield and has not been granted that opportunity, so it's a bit ridiculous really, and then he gets off our wage books.

"But to deny a 35-year-old that opportunity to be able to do that is very strange to me to be honest."

Lee Gregory deserved Sheffield Wednesday exit in January

It is difficult to disagree with Callum that Wednesday's decision not to sanction Gregory's departure in January is baffling.

While Rohl says that Gregory could be called upon at some point this season, it is clear that he is not part of his plans, and with the likes of Ike Ugbo, Bailey Cadamarteri, Michael Smith and Ashley Fletcher ahead of him, it seems unlikely that the striker will feature.

After his tireless performances over the years for the Owls, and the crucial role he played in the club's promotion last season, Chansiri should have reduced his demands to allow Gregory to leave last month.

Wednesday are now paying Gregory's wages in full for the remainder of the campaign, and with finances known to be tight at the club, offloading at least some of his salary would have been beneficial.