Alex Miller: A defeat and an advisor scorned.. Sheffield Wednesday’s mad midweek in the Midlands

But after a Yuletide run of four wins in five, after a spirited performance at half-strength against a star-studded Everton side, the nature of defeat in their trip to Coventry City on Wednesday evening has sparked concern once more. And understandable concern at that.

Such is the nature of this frantic, by-a-thread football world, a win against Preston North End on Saturday shifts things again of course.

But wins for Derby and Rotherham have set the Owls six points adrift of safety and this week, while their rivals grew, a Wednesday squad still touched by recovery from a coronavirus outbreak shrivelled a touch. The mood is terse and a character-filled bounce-back win would be very, very welcome.

The defeat was exacerbated by an evening of madness off the grass. Reports burst through the internet that Paul Cook had rejected an offer from the Owls to take over on a short-term contract, a claim later cooled by sources close to the club.

Preliminary talks were had but no firm offer was tabled and the two parties are not currently in discussion. Sources on Cook’s side have since told The Star that he remains keen on the job. Wednesday is a club – and a challenge – he wants to take on, but only with the right assurances.

It would be an appointment that would bring an increasingly frustrated fan base together, you’d think, but for now at least, any Cook talk appears to be by the by. It doesn’t look likely as the club look set on a different route.

More madness in what followed, then.

Erik Alonso, quite literally an international man of mystery, left the club in a blaze of social media glory. An advisor to Owls owner Dejphon Chansiri, Alonso is believed to have been the man at the centre of Wednesday’s contact with Cook’s people, but what other involvement he had with the club is unknown.

The Spaniard’s use of social media – particularly in private messages with supporters – has offered a link between those inside and outside the club that has been largely lacking in recent years.

Wary though it might be wise to be when it comes to a man who has used social media to curry favour as he has while, so far, refusing to face any scrutiny by going on the record with the media. The confusion caused by a social media profile that falsely professed him to be a Wednesday shareholder remains.

But onwards. We’re a month on from the departure of Tony Pulis and if Neil Thompson is indeed the man the club see best to take the club forward until the end of the season then it should surely be made it official sooner rather than later – this limbo is helping nobody.

It’s all a bit all over the place. And with their heads edging closer to the Championship guillotine it’s time for the club; from top to bottom, to get itself in order.

Sheffield Wednesday can come back from midweek madness in the Midlands, of course they can, but time is short. It’s time to crack on.

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