The hints that point to a promising January transfer window strategy for Sheffield Wednesday

Players need to know where they stand in a transfer window but then so do managers. Too often Sheffield Wednesday have been a random collector of players rather than a genuine trader.

So Danny Rohl’s self-proclaimed round of talks with players who might be surplus to his style and aims could just be a welcome indicator of positive change. Let’s hope the Owls' latest boss also has some clear idea of a budget.

Old fashioned maybe, but I’m not a fan of owners approving transfers on a piecemeal basis. A sort of a “if you want a certain player and I think it’s worth it I’ll support you.” Which appears to have been the case with Dejphon Chansiri - and certainly no-one can criticise his backing of managers, it has been unstinting. Also, he would be far from alone among modern day owners operating a similar policy.

However, I think it’s better for managers to have a definite financial structure to work within, good or bad. To know in advance of a window exactly what’s possible and what’s not. Only then, if he is really to manage, can he plan for, say, five outgoings and six incomings. Which may be the case for all we know.

What neither Rohl nor the club can afford is to simply load up with players. That has led the Owls to wade into deep financial fair play waters in the past.

If the manager - and a new recruitment chief, as is the case at Hillsborough - is to have a proper handle on how his team should look after the window then advance knowledge of what can and can’t be afforded is vital, for everyone’s benefit including the club’s.

So you’d like to think Rohl’s proactive stance in public is evidence of a coherent strategy. Certainly he seems to be the one driving it and that is good also.

It has to be accepted, though, that the actual mechanics of finding the right players and conducting transfers goes beyond the modern manager’s sole remit. That has to be a pooled effort and certain deals will be outside the club’s scope, which is again where a budget comes in.

It’s to be assumed that money will be tight in January. Nothing wrong with that - it is responsible. What’s important is doing business in the round with an end goal and joining up all the dots to get there. The pointers to that are promising if you take Rohl’s recent comments.

With an independent football regulator on the horizon, gone are the days when fans demand club owners to simply splurge the cash - and rightly so. All that’s required is something that adds up. For everyone.