Chris Wilder might force Henrik Pedersen rethink at Sheffield Wednesday | OneFootball

Chris Wilder launched a passionate defence of Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen after Sheffield United's Steel City derby victory.

Sheffield Wednesday's nightmare season reached a new low as they were relegated by Steel City rivals Sheffield United on Sunday.

After losing many of their key players in the summer, it was always likely to be a tough season for Wednesday, but their task of avoiding relegation was made almost impossible after having a total of 18 points deducted.

The Owls' fate was sealed as they were condemned to the drop following a 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Sunday, and if that was not humiliating enough, it was the earliest relegation in English football history, with 13 games of the season remaining.

With nothing left to play for on the pitch, the main priority for Wednesday over the coming months will be exiting administration and securing new ownership, but the race to buy the club took a big twist this week as James Bord's consortium ruled themselves out of the running, despite being named as the preferred bidder over two months ago.

One of the biggest decisions facing whoever takes over at Hillsborough will be about the future of manager Henrik Pedersen, but while many assume his departure is inevitable this summer, he has been given backing from an unexpected source.

Chris Wilder issues passionate Henrik Pedersen defence after Sheffield Wednesday relegation

Wilder certainly has not held back in his celebration of previous Steel City derby victories, but the Sheffield United manager was noticeably muted after his side's latest success against Wednesday, and he even struck a relatively sympathetic tone in his post-match interview.

The 58-year-old went further this week as he launched a passionate near six-minute defence of his opposite number Pedersen, revealing his respect for the Dane and outlining some of the unseen challenges he has faced at Hillsborough this season.

"Henrik is somebody I’ve always got on with. I managed to have just 30 seconds with him after the game, because of the media commitments we had after the game. I couldn’t see him in my office, but he always goes in, which I like, and I spoke to him this morning," Wilder said in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

"People question whether he is good on the grass. Is he good tactically? We’re all decent to get to the stage in the careers we are in, to be good on the grass and to be tactically astute and proactive.

"Henrik’s had a few offers as well, but he took the opportunity to manage Sheffield Wednesday when the other guy jumped and then, obviously, the situation at the start of the season, where players left, which they had to, given the direction of the club, to protect their careers and families, but Henrik decided to take the job on.

"To have the amount of defeats that they’ve had, to have a team that’s not ready for the Championship, possibly not even ready for League One, and that’s not being disrespectful, they have had some injuries as well, but to have that constant losing feeling, and he has to get up every morning, and he has to inspire.

"If he walks in feeling sorry for himself, people look at him. It's not just about the grass or tactics; it’s about how you inspire people when you’re going through disappointing periods. He has to inspire his coaches, staff, players and his supporters, and they have been competitive in every game."

Chris Wilder comments could create fresh Sheffield Wednesday respect for Henrik Pedersen

Pedersen has come under increasing scrutiny from Wednesday supporters in recent weeks, with both results and his tactics attracting the ire of the Hillsborough faithful.

Given that Pedersen has won just one of his 38 games in charge of the Owls, and his side are currently on a 28-game winless run in the league, which includes 10 consecutive defeats, some of the criticism has been fair, but Wilder's comments have offered a different perspective on his situation.

Of course, a cynical view would be that Wilder does not view Pedersen as a threat, and with the balance of power in the Steel City shifting even further towards Sheffield United, it is much easier for the 58-year-old to be magnanimous and complimentary of the Wednesday boss.

However, Wilder is not exactly known for mincing his words, and when discussing Pedersen this week, he provided an insight that perhaps only a fellow manager could offer, which has certainly given some in S6 food for thought.

With a threadbare squad full of young players, it has long been accepted that Pedersen does not have the tools at his disposal to make his side competitive in the Championship, but Wilder spoke of the motivational role he has had to perform at Hillsborough this season, keeping the spirits of players and staff high while dealing with his own personal disappointment after each defeat.

It could even be argued that it is unfair to judge Pedersen at all based on results this season given the significant disadvantage the Owls have had compared to their second tier rivals, but there will be little room for sentiment when it comes to the decision over his future in the summer.

Pedersen is a well-regarded coach, and with a stronger squad at his disposal and in a more stable environment, he could be the man to lead Wednesday to promotion from League One, but even taking into account the many mitigating circumstances, it would be a big gamble to stick with him next season.