'Big project' - Chris Waddle identifies what Sheffield Wednesday need from takeover
Former Sheffield Wednesday star Chris Waddle has outlined the importance of the club falling into the right hands.
Sheffield Wednesday icon Chris Waddle believes prospective owners must be prepared to deliver a long-term vision at Hillsborough, describing the challenge of turning the Owls’ fortunes around as a “big project”.
Since the club went into administration just over a month ago, interest in buying in the Owls has been rife. As reported by The Star on Monday, it is understood interested parties have produced bids to buy the club over the last few days after a ‘soft deadline’ of November 21 was placed on indicative offers.
The club’s administrators have outlined their hopes of selecting a ‘preferred bidder’ by the first week of December, meaning they are keen to take the process to the next stage as quickly as possible.
Wednesday are in desperate need of investment, both on and off the pitch, meaning they are going to require an owner with deep pockets to fund the necessary improvements that are required. The playing squad, of course, is in need of help, but the investment in the club’s infrastructure is arguably more important.
After years of mismanagement under Dejphon Chansiri, Waddle, who was a frequent critic of the former Wednesday chairman, has also highlighted the importance of the next owner implementing a long-term plan that might have to account for the next ten years.
Waddle highlights what Owls need from new owners
"They need somebody with a long-term plan," Waddle told ITV Sport. "They don't need somebody coming in with a two-year plan and thinking, 'we've run out of money, what are we going to do?'
"They need somebody with structure. The ground needs doing up, the training ground needs doing up... it's a big project. You want somebody who is willing to think it might take five or ten years.
"If you get this club going, you'll get 33,000 or 35,000 every week. It's a massive club that should be a lot higher than what it is.
"A lot of big clubs have dropped down the leagues in the past and have come back, so hopefully Wednesday will come back."