How Henrik Pedersen is reacting to Sheffield Wednesday payment issue - many Owls fans are saying the same thing | OneFootball

Payment issues have arisen again for Sheffield Wednesday, but there’s been significant praise for how the manager is handling the news

Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen has refused to take his wage until every other member of staff at the club has been paid.

The noble act comes as those at the club were informed that, once again, they would not be paid what is owed to them on time.

It’s the latest in a recurring issue at Hillsborough Stadium that has seen payments missed for five of the last seven months under the ownership of Dejphon Chansiri, for which the club has already had restrictions placed on him.

Nevertheless, in such trying times, the response from Pedersen has given fans something to hold onto.

Henrik Pedersen refuses wage amid Sheffield Wednesday’s financial trouble

Local Sheffield news site The Star revealed earlier in the week that players had been told not to expect their wages on time for September, with technical and non-football staff thought to have been handed £1,000 on payday; far less than most, if not all, will have been expecting.

That payment was offered to coaches too, including Pedersen, but the same outlet has revealed that he has rejected the money, stating that he wants nothing until every other member of staff has the money they're owed.

There has also been a suggestion that some of the players have followed the Dane’s lead in prioritising the wages of lower-paid staff before their own circumstances are resolved.

It’s a remarkable show of leadership from Pedersen, putting himself in harm’s way, in a financial sense, for the greater good of the club and its less powerful voices – and it’s a move that has understandably gone down well with fans.

James Nelson, an Owls fan, replied: “Regardless of his footballing smarts, which he has plenty, this is a sign of a true leader. We are blessed to have him as our manager.”

“That's great leadership. A noble act,” concurred David Bentley. “Will there be a shred of capitulation or remorse shown by Chansiri for the results of his actions? Not one iota.”

Another supporter, Andy Gard, was also in agreement: “Leaders eat last. Well done HP.”

And another fan believes that amid all the chaos and what he's working with, Pedersen may be the best manager Wednesday have ever had, given he is still getting points on the board with the most skeleton of squads.

For all the positivity thrown towards Pedersen, there was around an equal amount of negativity thrown towards Chansiri, who still has control of the club and is risking further sanctions with this latest update.

Henrik Pedersen is gaining a strong reputation at Sheffield Wednesday

The manager would have been well within his rights to accept what was offered to him as he is, in effect, just another member of staff undergoing the same ordeal as everyone else.

But using his privileged position to take a stand, and look after others, will clearly endear him to fans even more than he was rated previously.

Given the mountain of issues behind the scenes, and the impact that has had on recruitment and retaining staff, Pedersen has also gained support for his work on the field, keeping the club off bottom spot and giving themselves a fighting chance of survival this season against the odds.

That’s made even sweeter by the fact that it is arch rivals Sheffield United keeping them from the foot of the table, who remain two points behind the Owls despite the latter going through on of the toughest points in their long history.

The circumstances at Wednesday are far from ideal, but with leadership with Pederson’s on show, Owls fans will at least feel like they’re in the best possible hands on the field, even if that’s not the case off it.