Dejphon Chansiri’s big Sheffield Wednesday decision couldn’t have gone more wrong

After seasons of relegation, and unpaid wages, and points deductions, under Darren Moore the Owls had become almost drama-free aside from the usual injury battles and intermittent meltdowns when results didn’t go their way.

Dejphon Chansiri, so often at the forefront at Hillsborough in recent years, became less public-facing, appeared to let Moore do his thing and Wednesday seemed to be better off for it. For two seasons the club seemed ‘normal’ again, and at the end of that second season they reaped the rewards for their hard work.

Praise for the manager and his players, was also praise for the owner, the person who had hired him and sanctioned them. The community was back on side, the club was rebuilding its reputation, and – for many – the idea of a season of midtable consolidation in the Championship was something to look forward to.

But parting ways with Moore changed the trajectory of all of that. Both sides of that fence have had their say, one side probably far more than necessary, but ultimately it was decided that they would break up the band. Chansiri, rightly or wrongly, didn’t think that Moore was worth it.

There was unhappiness, there was shock, there was a mood of foreboding as the hunt for his replacement began. Just as the ship seemed steady again it had been steered into rocky waters, and the momentum built up from the Hillsborough Miracle and 120+3 was at real risk.

But with the right appointment, a smart summer in the transfer marked, and most would’ve been placated. What followed in the coming months saw the club squander a huge opportunity for progress and instead take numerous steps backwards – people expected the Championship to be tough, but not two points from a possible 30 tough.

Chansiri went for Xisco, a Spaniard with a Championship promotion on his record and a passion that shone through in his opening press conference when he was forced to shut down talk of Moore, and Carlton Palmer, and other matters of the past that were brought to the fore by the chairman in what felt like a wholly unnecessary rant.

The alarm bells probably started then for the new Owls boss, and he can’t have felt great when his employer came out and said there were people with better CVs than him who applied for the job.

In a fans forum, which contained plenty more insight, the chairman stated that he felt the side – as it was – should be capable of challenging for a place in the top six. You’d think, then, that he’d hire a manager who wanted to build on that rather than rip up the teamsheet.

Xisco would have to wait three weeks for his first signing, spend the whole of preseason using a load of youngsters that he would then demote straight back to the U21s as soon as new arrivals did come in, and by the time the season had started there were already five different faces in the matchday squad.

Chansiri, in the background for so long, had also returned to the front and centre. His decision not to back Moore was one thing, but by the time he’d released yet another statement on the day of an important match against Sunderland it felt like the tide had completely turned against him. Against Swansea City, the game that proved to be Xisco’s last, the away fans were as loud as ever before in calling for his departure.

Wednesday had continuity and stability for the first time in a long, long time, and decision after decision since Josh Windass’ diving header at Wembley has led to them spiralling into the position that they now find themselves in.

Chansiri had to get his choice right after Moore, he didn’t. Instead of backing the manager that took his side up he’s now having to deal with a situation that has seen him fire a manager and four members of his technical team after signing 12 players – many of whom have zero experience in the Championship.

Against Swansea, the last game before injuries hit, just two players from that day at Wembley started for the Owls, and it had become clear that Xisco didn’t see his job as being a continuation of success – he saw it as a revolution.

Chansiri must have agreed, or he wouldn’t have made the decisions that he did. Now a new manager will come in to work with a squad built by two very different managers and with confidence on the floor. Once again the chairman has to get this one right.

If the previous project had just been left alone would Wednesday be in a better position? We’ll never know. But they certainly couldn’t be in a worse one.