Sheffield Wednesday PR war is one-sided but Danny Rohl and Chansiri must find common ground soon

You can take sides or you can understand that it takes two to create a stand-off - but right now at Sheffield Wednesday only one side is worth supporting.

And it’s not about the perception of manager Danny Rohl versus owner Dejphon Chansiri. It’s about taking sides for Wednesday to come out on top. A “win” for Chansiri is a potential loss for himself and the club, a huge one at that.

To avert pride coming before a fall, you need those two working together, even if it means giving a little ground either way. That has to be the outcome of the apparent friction between them if Wednesday are to profit from a position of promise and opportunity.

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Ultimately, Rohl’s inspirational leadership has given the Owls that chance, albeit that he was put in place by Chansiri at the height of a crisis of the chairman’s own making.

It is unthinkable that internal politics should shatter the hopes of fans who would accept a mid-table placing as progress but who would wish to see enough strengthening for a play-off push.

Chansiri, a feisty character who has been outspoken about his managers on several occasions, must have been bristling to have the finger pointed publicly and provocatively in his direction by his German coach.

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Strong suggestions of a communications breakdown, supported by Rohl’s own words, have put Chansiri’s transfer methodology into sharp focus for the duration of this January window. Not just his financial commitment but more, I suspect, that handling transfers on a case by case basis, rather than planning from a bigger picture, blurs Rohl’s outlook on his priorities and what can be achieved.

It takes control out of the manager’s hands at a time when he has clear ideas about where and how Wednesday need to strengthen. Amid the manager’s repeated prodding came the definite interest of his former club Southampton. It is not hard to imagine Rohl wishing to have pursued that opportunity had a £5m buy-out clause not held him in check, which is supported by my south coast sources.

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And I’d guess many Owls fans would have understood if he’d left, lamenting it but grateful for his spectacular work in turning the place around. But it’s potentially another high octane element in the key relationship. If pride has to be swallowed either way then it should be - because it’s for the good of the club.

Besides, who can doubt that Chansiri is as ambitious for promotion as Rohl? He needs it after what he’s spent in pursuing it.

What Wednesday don’t need, ahead of a fans forum which you’d assume Chansiri has an agenda for calling, is for any fanning of flames. Far better that the two men get on the same page. Certainly, as a PR battle it’s one Chansiri would have no hope of winning.

Pride must not go before a fall.