Sheffield Wednesday may finally be learning from past mistakes if 47-year-old replaces Danny Rohl | OneFootball

Reports linking Henrik Pedersen as the Owls’ succession plan should be comforting for Wednesday supporters

For too long, Sheffield Wednesday’s approach to managerial appointments has lacked direction.

A revolving door of managers with clashing styles, philosophies and individual identities has left the club scrambling for consistency.

But with Alan Nixon reporting that Wednesday assistant manager Henrik Pedersen is emerging as the leading candidate to replace Danny Röhl should he depart for Southampton, there’s finally a sign that the Owls might be prioritising continuity over chaos.

Pedersen, who joined Wednesday as Röhl’s assistant in October 2023, has been instrumental in the club’s tactical approach.

Both he and Röhl are graduates of the Red Bull school of football, advocating for a high-pressing game and the principles of total football, ensuring that a potential transition would not disrupt the progress made this season.

If the Owls are serious about building an identity rather than lurching between playing styles, promoting Pedersen could be a smart, long-term move.

Henrik Pedersen is a logical successor to Danny Röhl at Sheffield Wednesday

Röhl’s impending exit has been speculated for months, with Southampton eyeing him as a key part of their post-relegation rebuild, and links back to German managerial roles arising earlier in the season.

With no sporting director at Hillsborough to guide the managerial search, appointing from within feels like the best option.

Pedersen understands the squad, the system, and the challenges of the Championship, making him a natural successor.

Unlike previous transitions that have seen the Owls rip up blueprints and start from scratch - Monk to Pulis to Moore to Munoz - Pedersen represents a chance to build on the positive tactical framework Röhl has established.

His appointment would offer the best of both worlds - continuation of the good things Wednesday have been working on while potentially shedding some of the background issues that have hindered Röhl’s tenure.

Continuity over chaos: why Sheffield Wednesday should promote Pedersen

Henrik Pedersen, 47, has built an extensive coaching CV across multiple European leagues, gaining experience in youth development, tactical innovation, and first-team management.

His early work saw him take on youth coaching roles in Denmark before moving to Red Bull Salzburg, where he was exposed to one of the most forward-thinking footballing philosophies in Europe.

Pedersen stepped into senior management with HB Køge in 2014, followed by a position as Jens Keller’s assistant at Union Berlin, where he worked in the highly competitive 2. Bundesliga.

A brief spell in charge of Eintracht Braunschweig in the 3. Liga followed, before moving to Norway with Strømsgodset.

Though his tenure in Norway ended amid controversy, Pedersen rebuilt his career with Danish second-tier side Vendsyssel FF, where he refined his coaching approach before joining Danny Röhl's staff at Sheffield Wednesday in 2023.

With a coaching philosophy rooted in high pressing and total football, Pedersen has worked under and alongside managers who emphasise fluid, attacking play.

His tactical alignment with Röhl makes him an ideal candidate for a smooth transition should the head coach depart, ensuring Wednesday continue the progress made in the Championship rather than regressing into another familiar cycle of instability.

Financially, promoting Pedersen also makes sense. Unlike a high-profile external appointment, his salary demands are likely to be manageable, and there would be no need to pay compensation to another club.

Given Wednesday’s well-documented budgetary constraints, a seamless, cost-effective transition is an attractive prospect. The Owls will need to continue their squad overhaul in the summer, with once again many high-profile players expected to leave as free agents.

While appointing an internal candidate isn’t always the most exciting option, it might just be the most sensible one.

Rather than another overhaul, the Owls have the opportunity to build on the momentum they’ve started under Röhl. If Pedersen steps up and thrives, it could be the rare instance of Wednesday actually getting succession planning right.