How Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen is developing 'understanding' of city's proud football roots
Owls boss Henrik Pedersen likes to go watch Hallam FC with his family and thinks the city could do more to promote its proud football history
Henrik Pedersen is keen to develop his ‘understanding’ of Sheffield football in general as he aims to learn even more about the city’s passion for the sport.
The 48-year-old has already started to make plans for life in League One next season, including talking to those behind the scenes at soon-to-be champions Lincoln City. As well as that, he has been researching what attributes players in the third tier need to be successful and what the average age of the squad might look like.
Pedersen is also trying to get a feel for grassroots football in the city so he can increase his all-round knowledge of football in Sheffield.
He told The Star: “I am starting to have an understanding for Sheffield football and for grassroot and the community. I'm very interested. I like to go to watch Hallam, for example, with my family.
“I am starting to have a good understanding, but of course I cannot compare myself with people who have lived here their whole life. There is football everywhere in Sheffield and there are so many local teams in Sheffield. I have big respect for this community and all those clubs in Sheffield.”
It is regularly said that Sheffield does not shout loud enough about being the home of football. Many believe that other cities would have done more to promote its proud history and Pedersen agrees that more could be done.
“We don't shout about it enough, just how important Sheffield has been to football,” he explained. “I think it's undervalued what Sheffield has done for football. I think you could do more to speak about it, because how many people in the world know that the oldest ground is here, the oldest club and all those things? I think you could do more for this, because it's here. It was the beginning. That's great.”