Former Sheffield Wednesday boss Darren Moore has said that his departure from the club earlier this summer was not about money.
Back in June, Moore and Sheffield Wednesday parted ways. It came out of the blue and immediately after the former West Brom boss had steered Wednesday to promotion from League One.
The move shocked many in the footballing community and it pushed back Sheffield Wednesday’s pre-season preparations, with owner Dejphon Chansiri forced to find a new manager.
He eventually appointed Xisco Munoz who’s since overseen a tough start to the season, with Wednesday the only team in the Championship yet to have a point on the board.
And speaking to Sky Sports in a recent and exlcusive interview, Moore has opened up on his Sheffield Wednesday exit and the conversations that led to his departure, after Chansiri claimed that the 49-year-old was asking for a four-fold wage increase – which he could not provide – which led to the two parting ways.
Moore said:
“After Wembley had been and the dust had settled and everything else, we had a meeting, the chairman, as we do, just to sort of continue what was discussed in the pre build up to it [the start of the new season].
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“Irrespective of what division the club was in, our targets were set in mind in terms of what was going. So in terms of that, when we had the meeting, all what’s just happened is that, I think that the vision that was set at that time… was just a little bit out of line.
‘So amicably, we both come to an agreement at the time, and just decided that it wasn’t right at the time. The decision was made at the time because, for me to step away and for the club to continue, that’s why a lot of the noise that was made at the time; I never said anything because my emphasis was, really, to allow Sheffield Wednesday to continue and move forward, and allow the chairman to bring in another manager of his choice, that he felt could take the club forward, and I’ve got no grievances with that decision.
“As I said, it was a private conversation between me and him [Chansiri], and the conversation even now will remain private. I know there’s a lot of stuff said about the salary and everything else. But honestly, it was never about the money side of it. It was purely and strictly about the football.”
Who to believe?
When Chansiri made that claim about Moore wanting a four-fold wage increase and a new contract, many sympathised with the Wednesday chairman.
But whether or not that claim is true, we’ll perhaps never know. Moore’s exit has been and gone and the club have moved on, though fans will continue to wonder; if Moore remained in charge, would the Owls have a brighter future than they do now?
The season is still in its early stages and Munoz’s side are showing steady signs of improvements. But Moore’s emerging comments are certainly interesting and expect the players and perhaps Chansiri to have watched this interview as well, with Moore having been a hugely popular figure at the club.
Sheffield Wednesday head to Cardiff City in the Championship this weekend.