Dave Challinor has already outlined his management approach amid Sheffield Wednesday links
Dave Challinor could be in the running to replace Henrik Pedersen as Sheffield Wednesday boss.
Former Stockport County manager Dave Challinor recently claimed that winning matters more than style amid speculation that he could be in the running to become Sheffield Wednesday’s next manager.
The Owls are searching for a new boss following Henrik Pedersen’s departure on Sunday. The Dane was relieved of his duties after his side were beaten 2-0 by Doncaster Rovers less than 24 hours earlier.
Although Wednesday are in a respectable position in League One, sitting just two points off the play-off places after 11 matches, their recent performances prompted the hierarchy to consider whether a change in the dugout would benefit the club in the long term.
At this early stage, it remains to be seen who Wednesday will target in their search for Pedersen’s successor. However, Challinor, who has been out of work since leaving Stockport at the beginning of June, is highly likely to be in the reckoning given his impressive League One record and his links with Owls sporting director Simon Wilson.
Challinor spent five years in charge at Stockport, taking them from the National League to the cusp of the Championship. They finished third in League One in each of the last two seasons before falling short in the play-offs.
Challinor has built an impressive reputation, and he has been the subject of social media chatter among Wednesdayites for several weeks amid growing doubts about Pedersen’s future. Now that the managerial position at Hillsborough is vacant, Challinor could be in the running, although it remains unclear who is on Wednesday’s shortlist.
Nevertheless, the prospect of Challinor replacing Pedersen appears plausible given his relationship with Wilson. Challinor oversaw a successful period at Stockport that included two league titles. During both title-winning campaigns, the Hatters amassed more than 90 points, establishing a habit of winning games consistently.
Recently discussing his managerial approach, Challinor admitted that he felt football had gone through a period in which managers prioritised style over substance. However, he has always viewed the game differently, insisting that winning is what matters most.
Challinor, speaking to The Football League Paper earlier this month, said: “As daft as it sounds, I think a lot of people lost sight of the value of winning. It was all about philosophy and how you’re going to play, what your principles are and what it looks like on the pitch.
“Even now, I get invites to coaching courses talking about building your personal brand and this sort of thing. I understand that’s important to some people. But I just think it tilted too far.
“People maybe looked at what Pep Guardiola was doing at Manchester City, and this idea filtered down that you need a brand of football and the perfect way of playing. And listen, if you can do that and win, then why wouldn’t you? It’s brilliant.
“But if you can’t do that and win, then you need to do something different. You’ve got to do what’s best for your team and your club. That’s what maybe got lost a bit.
“But I do think it’s coming back, and last season was really important for that. You look at Lincoln winning League One with the lowest average possession in the division. Bromley did a similar thing in League Two.
“Nobody cared about the brand of football they played. They just played to win, and they succeeded. I think it reminded people that there is more than one way to skin a cat, which is to the benefit of everyone in football.”