'I love to build' - Henrik Pedersen outlines role he hopes to play in Sheffield Wednesday rebuild
Henrik Pedersen is hoping to play a key role in the rebuild of Sheffield Wednesday, hinting at plans he has for the academy.
Manager Henrik Pedersen is hoping he will get the opportunity to play a big role in the rebuild of Sheffield Wednesday, admitting he wants to be involved in more than just first-team matters.
Following the completion of Arise Capital Partners LLC’s takeover of the club earlier this month, the Owls are looking forward to a brighter future after a turbulent last 12 months or so, which saw them go into administration for the very first time.
Arise, governed by US businessman David Storch, have big plans to try and get Wednesday back on their feet, with investment planned in both the infrastructure and the playing squad. Improvements are set to be made at Hillsborough this summer, highlighting Arise’s determination to improve all areas of the club, both on and off the pitch.
Storch, who was keen on buying Wednesday prior to the club going into administration last October, revealed in an interview with BBC Radio Sheffield last December that Wednesday’s academy is “critical” to Arise’s project, meaning investment is likely in that department as well.
Owls boss Pedersen has a history of working in youth development within the Red Bull system, meaning he is also hungry to develop more of Wednesday’s youngsters as part of the new project. Although his primary responsibility is overseeing first-team matters, the Dane is hoping to have a big role to play in the overall rebuild and the new outlook the club is set to adopt.
Asked if he is looking forward to being able to concentrate on primarily the football without any soap operas going on in the background, Pedersen told The Star: “I'm looking forward that we get a strong, strong organisation.
“I love to build a team, but I also love to build a football club. So for me, it's not only do this or do only that. For me, it's a combination.
“We want to rebuild Sheffield Wednesday with a strong, strong academy with a clear identity [the same] as the first team, and for me this is very, very important.”
On what he believes Wednesday must do to improve as a club, Pedersen added: “I'm from a Red Bull system where we know we have to find the next talent, we have to develop the next talent, we have to integrate the next talent to the first-team, we have to make him good, we have to make him effective here so we can make results and we can sell.
“Then we can find the next talent, we can rebuild, and we can let the club grow step by step.
“So for me, it's always a combination to think short-term to make the best possible performance next Saturday, but at the same time we have to see how many of those short-term solutions go hand-in-hand with this long-term solution to make a sustainable football club and to make a sustainable business model.”