Sheffield Wednesday ‘very close’ to new arrivals – Henrik Pedersen details what coaches he wants
Sheffield Wednesday manager, Henrik Pedersen, believes that the Owls are ‘very close’ to bringing new coaching staff on board.
The Dane has made no secret of his desire to bring in some new faces to bolster his technical team since taking over from Danny Röhl, however it’s not been an easy thing to navigate amid the club’s ongoing financial struggles.
Now, after confirming that wages are expected to be paid on time this month, Pedersen is hoping that he will soon have some new additions through the door from a coaching perspective, though new players – for the time being at least – seem unlikely.
“We are very close,” he told the media on Thursday. “But we know when things are between two clubs we know they can take a little bit of time. But I’m happy that we’ll soon be able to have some new staff… I hope we can present one or two guys soon.”
Henrik Pedersen wants new coaching arrivals
Meanwhile, speaking to The Star, he added, “I’m searching for a goalkeeper coach, and if I can find an experienced one who has experience as a player and also in the Championship then it could be great. I’m also searching for an offensive coach and a defensive coach, and then I’ll see what is possible. We also have Giles (Coke) and Andy (Holdsworth) as part of the team.
“I’d like to have a mix of former players who have things I don’t have, to have experienced coaches from the league where we are, to compliment young and hungry coaches who have something special. Whether that be top in the tactical element defensively or in attacking, or top individual development.”
And the Owls boss has plans for the future, too, discussing his hopes to form a proper pathway through the academy up into the first team, with the likes of Holdsworth and Coke a crucial part of that.
He went on to add, “For instance with Andy, he’s around a lot and he’s grown a lot. I want a setup where he can be a part of things around the first team, but also have the main responsibility with the U21s. If we can have somebody with the U21s so that Andy or Giles can be there one day a week, we can have a mirror team.
“That way, in the future, it will be easier when we take a player from the U21s into the first team. We have to create one club, integrate the U21s much more, then the U18s and the academy and the pre-academy, so we get everyone in the same direction.”
For Holdsworth and Coke, in particular, they’ve effectively been promoted into first team duties whilst also expected to help out in their official roles within the academy structures, despite remaining on the academy contracts. Two of many going above and beyond in these trying times.
How long it takes to get the deals done, and who exactly comes in, remains to be seen, but the fact there is progress can only be seen as a good thing for the path ahead.
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