"A pretty gutting situation" - Sheffield Wednesday, Danny Rohl prediction issued as Southampton links return | OneFootball

The Saints have been linked with a move for the Owls boss this summer

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

With the news that Southampton are already planning on parting ways with manager Ivan Juric at the end of the season, rumours are already abounding about an approach from the Saints for Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl.

The German was said to be a consideration for the south coast side after they axed former boss Russell Martin last year, and with the latest updates regarding their current boss, another approach is set to be on the cards.

A report from The Sun journalist Jack Rosser has claimed that once Southampton are out of the Premier League - which is all done bar the counting - it will make any approach for the Owls boss much cheaper, with the 35-year-old all-known to the St Mary’s hierarchy after working with the club earlier in his career as an assistant to Ralph Hasenhuttl.

With that in mind, we spoke to Football League World’s Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit Patrick McKenna about his thoughts on the situation, and where he expects the current boss to be at the start of next season.

Danny Rohl prediction made as Sheffield Wednesday, Dejphon Chansiri issues linger

The news coming out from the Premier League’s basement side will have ruffled a few feathers at Hillsborough this week, with Rohl continuing to work wonders since his appointment in October 2023.

The German has taken Wednesday from relegation certainties to an outside play-off contender over the past 18 months, all in spite of a reportedly frosty relationship with owner Dejphon Chansiri.

The relationship with the Thai businessman came to a head in the January transfer window, with a lack of communication from all parties seeing only two players join the club; something that they are paying the price for now as injuries take their toll throughout the squad.

It is for reasons like these that McKenna can only see one way that the situation unfolds this summer, with Saints likely to renew their interest with gusto once their return to the EFL is confirmed.

When asked about the scenario, the Wednesday fan said: “I think since the initial approach was rumoured, we have heard a whole host of different takes on it, with rumours and stories conflicting each other.

“So the crux of it is that it is still a guessing game as to whether he will definitely go to Southampton, but would he want to go there if approached? I guess it would be a very attractive proposition to him, and he would want to go.

“Sadly, I think if things were better here at Sheffield Wednesday, then he may not be drawn to Southampton, but while he is working under a structure with Chansiri, he is always fire-fighting and having to do absolutely everything.

“He is not going to be able to realise his ambition here at Wednesday, whereas at Southampton it is a whole different ball game in terms of playing squad, in terms of structure on the field and off the field. With the facilities and the ambition of the club as well, they are forward-thinking.”

Danny Rohl, Southampton links predicted to ease Sheffield Wednesday departure

While it seemed like Rohl was plucked from obscurity to take the job at Hillsborough back in October 2023, he had plenty of experience at Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig under his belt, as well as earning his stripes with Southampton.

In fact, he was just 29 when he first made the move to St Mary’s, and worked as assistant manager to then-Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl as the Hampshire outfit competed on a more even keel in the Premier League.

Those links to St Mary’s will be impossible to ignore as the rumours continue to ramp up the closer we get to summer, and McKenna believes that familiarity with his former club will push the deal over the line in the coming months, in a devastating blow to the Wednesday fanbase.

Patrick continued: “Danny Rohl has already worked at Southampton as well, and by all accounts his family like it down there and are currently still living in Germany.

“So can I see Danny Rohl moving there in the summer? Very much so. I think I would only be kidding myself that he might be staying on at Wednesday, so it’s a pretty gutting situation for us Wednesday fans.

“We are going to let the best thing that has happened to the club in 25 odd years seemingly slip through our fingers and go off to Southampton. It is really not great news for us, but the reality is I can see Rohl at St Mary’s next season.”