'I couldn't be happier' - David Storch hails key Sheffield Wednesday appointments
Sheffield Wednesday chairman David Storch is really encouraged by the appointments the club has made so far off the pitch.
Sheffield Wednesday chairman David Storch is backing chief executive David Bruce and sporting director Simon Wilson to provide manager Henrik Pedersen with the support and resources he needs heading into next season.
The Owls’ new-look hierarchy was strengthened even further last Monday following the appointment of Wilson, who has arrived at Hillsborough following the end of a six-year stint at Stockport County.
His arrival at the club had been in the pipeline for several weeks, but it is understood that his appointment required vetting from the Independent Football Regulator (IFR). Confirmation of his arrival at Hillsborough, however, coincided with the start of the summer transfer window.
Wilson has been tasked with leading Wednesday’s sporting strategy, meaning he is going to play a key role in this summer’s squad rebuild. Ricardo Santos became the club’s first signing of the Arise era on Friday, arriving from Swansea City for an undisclosed fee.
Storch, ahead of completing his takeover at Hillsborough at the beginning of May, addressed his ambition of implementing a proper football structure featuring the likes of a chief executive and a sporting director. Wednesday had not had a CEO since Katrien Meire’s departure in February 2019, and former owner Dejphon Chansiri never installed a sporting director during his ten-and-a-half years at the helm.
With the Owls’ new-look hierarchy coming together, Storch has addressed how delighted he is with the appointments of Bruce and Wilson, as well as backing boss Pedersen to take advantage of the creation of a football structure.
“I couldn’t be happier than having both of these gents on this journey,” Storch told BBC Radio Sheffield, praising the additions of Bruce and Wilson. “David Bruce has been absolutely remarkable.
“If you were to have a job description and try to find someone who meets the criteria, this is almost like a perfect match. David and I totally in sync; he can start a sentence and I can finish it, and vice versa.
“He is thinking very positively and proactively. Yes, there are a lot of things that need work that are not necessarily fun or glamorous, but he is able to tackle the necessary pieces as well as thinking about the things that might be more fun building in nature.
“David has been a perfect partner for me and for our ownership group. Simon coming in to help us build the squad has just been a stroke of genius on David’s and others’ part. Simon is fabulous.
“I have enjoyed this week. We have spent a lot of time together talking about the makeup of the squad and the kind of players that we want to attract. He has been working very well with Henrik.
“Henrik is great. I think Henrik, given the support we are planning to give him in terms of leadership at the club and also resources, is going to do a great job.”