DARREN: THIS IS HUGE CHALLENGE
Latest Owls boss aiming for survival
DARREN Mooore ended his first week at the helm of Sheffield Wednesday by reminding reporters that the club are no longer in the Premier League.
“Obviously, the club would love to get back into that position,” said the 46-year-old, the Owls’ fourth manager of the season after Garry Monk, Tony Pulis and caretaker Neil Thompson. “But there is some work to be done to get there.”
He can say that again. The club Moore joined from Doncaster Rovers on Monday began the weekend 23rd in the Championship, seven points from safety, and reeling from a run of five straight defeats.
The most recent, to
Luton and Rotherham, have convinced even the most optimistic supporters that the
Owls are bound for League One. Moore played for Torquay, Doncaster, Bradford, Portsmouth, West Brom, Derby and Barnsley in a long and illustrious career, and believes his experience of fighting relegation can yet avert disaster.
“Every situation is different but you can lend your experience in terms of the mindset and what to expect going forward,” said the former central defender.
Mindset
“And it is the mindset. It is about working hard, implementing and doing the right things and then things start to change.
“Going down… you won’t hear me speak of that. There are still points to play for and games to be played.
What we need now are highly committed performances and working to our maximum every single day.”
Dejphon Chansiri, the Sheffield Wednesday owner, has a mixed record when it comes to managerial appointments, but the arrival of Moore makes more sense than most.
In the short-term, which Moore was keen to focus on, he has a proven record of producing an instant bounce.
After taking charge of a West Brom side ten points from Premier League safety in the 201718 season, Moore - in his first managerial role - took 11 points from 15 games to briefly ignite a surge for survival. Doncaster, too, remained unbeaten for the first six games of his tenure.
Although he started his Wednesday tenure with a gut-wrenching midweek reverse against Rotherham, a similar run at Hillsborough now would likely propel the
Owls out of the relegation zone. However, for once when it comes to Chansiri, there is also an element of long-term planning about Moore’s appointment.
Planning
He understands League One and, having constructed a vibrant Doncaster side sixth in the third tier pre-weekend, knows the type of players required to compete.
Speaking on Friday, Moore insisted that no member of Wednesday’s squad has been written off as a busted flush.
“It’s a clean slate and I mean that,” he said. “Every player has an opportunity to impress and continue their contract with the football club.
“I will give them that opportunity now but their performances will determine where we go from here. Every single player has a chance to do that and that is where the focus needs to be.” Realistically, however, almost half of the Sheffield Wednesday squad are out of contract in the summer, many past their peak on salaries incompatible with life in League One.
An overhaul is inevitable and Moore - with recent experience of both divisions - is viewed by the Wednesday hierarchy as a safe pair of hands to conduct it. For now, though, the remit is survival, a brief Moore admits is the toughest of his career.
“Of course it is,” he said. “It’s a huge challenge but it’s one that whets my appetite. We know what has gone on, but there is nothing we can do about what has happened in the past.
“It is about setting a precedent now. Myself and the group of players are committed to the games ahead of us, to staying in the division, and that is all we’re thinking about.”