Dejphon Chansiri's lack of basic decency is letting grafting Sheffield Wednesday staff down
Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan has shown a sense of leadership absent from club owner Dejphon Chansiri throughout the club’s spiralling summer of discontent.
Bannan was only signed on to a new contract over the weekend amid interest from other Championship clubs, but has provided a strong presence throughout pre-season, leading team meetings and discussions with teammates and maintaining training standards. All of this came amid huge off-field uncertainty and, until the last few days, while operating as a free agent.
It has been reported throughout the summer turbulence that the struggles of everyday staff at Wednesday has been at the forefront of player concern throughout. Last week attacker Jamal Lowe explained as much in a passionate interview with Sky Sports, with Bannan having followed that up in a revealing interview with TalkSport on Tuesday morning.
The Star has heard tales of deep anguish within the club’s non-football employee base. Players refused to take part in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Burnley over the weekend and on Monday released a statement to make clear their stance on the ongoing crisis at Hillsborough - and the way the situation is being handled at the top.
Sheffield Wednesday players making a stance
“There’s staff that can’t pay mortgages and are really struggling, (also) the players’ families,” Bannan said. “But the players are alright, it’s the staff that we see everyday that are cooking us meals and cleaners, all the things like that. It affects us as players because they’re not getting any help. We’re at the top of the ladder and it (refusal to play at Burnley) was a strong stance from us to say it needs to stop and they need a bit of clarity going forward.
“Honestly, at any other club, the staff and players wouldn’t deal with it the way this cub has dealt with it. They just come in, do their jobs and get on with it. That’s why we’ve taken it into our hands now to try to help.”
Conversations had with The Star from employees at all levels over the last months have uncovered a deep frustration at the lack of communication coming from chairman Chansiri. It’s believed the Owls chairman has significantly reduced direct conversation with even senior staff and that attempts to reach him through previously open channels have proven unsuccessful. Sources suggest any meaningful communication throughout the crisis has been short and sporadic, with one staff member accusing the Owls chairman of a ‘lack of basic decency’.
“It’s about communication for us now going forward,” Bannan continued. “We’ve not had a great deal of that, which doesn’t help the situation. Any sort of communication can help and keep you going a bit longer, but we’ve not had a great deal of communication and that is what has really let the staff and players down.
“I spoke to him when I was on my summer holidays on Zoom and I think that was when we were just over two months not being paid. That was the last time I spoke to him and it was just asking the questions you can imagine, about pay and stuff. He was really sorry and was trying his best to get us paid as quickly as possible, so that was the last time I spoke to the chairman directly.”