Darren wants Moore: The Sheffield Wednesday manager who won’t throw in the towel - Joe Crann

It’s not Mission Impossible yet, but Mission Improbable is probably about right.
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There are nine games to go, which means 27 points to play for, and Sheffield Wednesday are six points from safety… And as long as those points are there to be played for, you’d best believe that Darren Moore will be keeping the faith.

You see, he’s an optimistic man, is Darren.

I’ve been lucky enough to speak to him on numerous occasions, and that’s something that always sticks out… No matter the question, no matter the tone, he’s there to find the positives.

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Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there is plenty said on the training ground and in the changing room, but I don’t think you’ll ever see this man throw his players under the bus.

He’s asked in every press conference, in every post-match interview, whether he’s confident of survival. If he thinks there’s enough games left to turn things around.

Such is his attitude that I think if Wednesday need nine points to stay up with three games to go, he’ll go into those final three matches telling his players that they’ve still got a job to do.

Darren Moore is not giving up on Sheffield Wednesday. (Pic Steve Ellis)Darren Moore is not giving up on Sheffield Wednesday. (Pic Steve Ellis)
Darren Moore is not giving up on Sheffield Wednesday. (Pic Steve Ellis)

I’ve no doubt that the last few weeks since his arrival at Hillsborough have been an eye opener, and that he’s now fully aware of the rebuild project that is required – regardless of what league they end up in.

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And one thing that has been made glaringly obvious is that he is massively respected… I don’t think it’s a case of ‘demanding’ respect, but more a case of earning it. And he’s done that quickly in S6.

Publicly we’ve heard the likes of Sam Hutchinson, Keiren Westwood, Josh Windass and Jordan Rhodes wax lyrical about him, but you might say ‘well, they’re not going to criticise the new man to the media, are they?’.

The thing is, it’s not just publicly. Moore hasn’t been at Wednesday long, but if you speak to anybody who has worked with him so far – or previously at his former clubs – you’ll struggle to find anybody with a bad word to say.

And I’m talking staff, players, agents, the whole shebang.

But don’t mistake kindness and respect as weakness. Moore is a deeply ambitious individual, which is one reason why his brain is not even considering relegation until it’s mathematically impossible to stay up. Because if he was to give up, why would his players believe that it’s possible?

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I’ve spoken before about when my hopes were dented. Luton Town away hit me like a tonne of bricks, and I truly believe that if Moore keeps the Owls up this season then the man should be regarded as an SWFC hero with immediate effect.

And if Wednesday go down, then it is absolutely not his fault. I’d love to see him build the club up in his image at Hillsborough, because let’s face it, a team of 11 Darren Moore’s would be one we could all get behind.

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