More Sheffield Wednesday takeover frustration as 'good candidate' walks away from opportunity | OneFootball

FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit has had his say on Anders Holch Povlsen being ruled out from completing a takeover at Hillsborough...

Sheffield Wednesday need a saviour after James Bord's takeover bid collapsed, with Anders Holch Povlsen unlikely to be that man amid rumours he could remain interested in the club.

Anders Holch Povlsen was first linked with Wednesday back in December but James Bord and the Sheffield Wednesday administrators edged closer to an agreement and were in direct contact to complete the various tests and checks required swiftly after.

Worth a mammoth $16.9 billion (£12.5 billion), as per Forbes, Povlsen is the owner of clothing chain Bestseller, and he is also the largest shareholder in the well-known fashion retailer ASOS.

Just after that suggestion came to the fore though, it was shut down by The Athletic's Matt Slater, who claimed that Povlsen was not set to make a bid for the Owls. It looked as though he could re-ignite interest, but talk of Holch Povlsen acquiring Sheffield Wednesday has since been quashed.

Sheffield Wednesday's reaction as Anders Holch Povlsen takeover quashed

Holch Povlsen is one of the richest men in the world but he will not be buying Wednesday. Football League World spoke to our resident Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit Patrick McKenna and asked if he is disappointed that Holch Povlsen’s interest in Sheffield Wednesday has been played down once more.

That occurred just 24 hours after initial reports suggested he was keen and he surely would’ve been as close to a perfect candidate as they would have gotten. In response to that, Patrick said: "In regards to Holch Povlsen's interest, yes, certainly.

"He looks like he would've been a good candidate to take over the club. He has got the business credentials and the experience in football.

"And, yeah, the wealth is certainly there. Worth near $17 billion but there's no point being disappointed about it. Just in the situation we are in now, it's absolutely crucial we get new owners in as soon as possible.

"If he's interested, he's interested. But if the interest isn't there, then we have to just move on. We have to focus on whoever does chuck their hat into the ring and get behind them.

"There's still going to be a lot of twists and turns in this, I think. Who knows? Maybe at a future date in a few years, there's a time at the club where things are in a better place, and he's the sort of guy that might look at us then.

"Right now, there is no point being disappointed. Let's just move on quickly and hope that we can get in new owners as soon as we can."

Sheffield Wednesday's League One season is already threatening to be a difficult one

There’s no getting away from it now that Bord's deal has fallen through, the clock is ticking for Sheffield Wednesday. With the very real prospect of a 15-point deduction hanging over them in League One, drifting into the summer without clarity over ownership would be reckless.

If new investment is going to arrive, it has to happen well before June. That’s when serious planning begins. Retained lists are drawn up, out-of-contract decisions are made, and recruitment targets are identified. Leave it late and Wednesday risk sleepwalking into pre-season with the same uncertainty that has plagued them in recent years under Dejphon Chansiri.

A fresh ownership group would allow for immediate squad assessment, budget setting and, perhaps most crucially, the appointment or backing of a manager aligned with a defined strategy. Starting a League One campaign on minus 15 demands cohesion, smart recruitment, and a fast start. Time is of the essence and you cannot afford a chaotic June and July.

There’s also the psychological factor. Supporters need renewed belief off the pitch and players need stability on it. Commercially, the club needs direction. League One is unforgiving at the best of times. Handicapped from day one, Sheffield Wednesday simply cannot afford to waste another summer this time. Clarity and direction is essential.