Danny Rohl is set to mark his first year in charge of Sheffield Wednesday on October 13th. And it’s certainly been an eventual year.
It’s surely safe to assume that Danny Rohl’s life has drastically changed since he took the Sheffield Wednesday job on October 13th last year.
He’s gotten his first taste of management, taking on what many deemed to be an unfavourable job at Hillsborough following his years working at some of Europe’s top clubs.
But he achieved success in his first half-season. The EFL’s youngest manager at the time, Rohl steered the Owls to a 20th place finish in the Championship table, earning huge praise across the country for his work.
He’s given the fans their club back after what was a dark six months before his arrival. Here we look at the German’s five biggest and most memorable moments…
Sheffield Wednesday score late equaliser vs Leicester City
Speaking in a recent interview, Rohl pinpointed the 1-1 draw against Leicester City in November as the moment that he realised his side could beat the drop.
Jeff Hendrick scored a late winner as the Owls frustrated then runaway Championship leaders Leicester City at Hillsborough.
That goal lift the roof off in S6 and set the Owls up for their eventual success last season.
Winning in front of Hansi Flick at Hillsborough
On a personal note for Rohl, winning in front of his former mentor Hansi Flick, as a manager himself, would’ve been special.
The now Barcelona boss came to Sheffield and watched the Owls beat Plymouth Argyle 1-0 at Hillsborough.
After the game, Flick hailed the Sheffield Wednesday fans, highlighting their passion despite their struggles in the league.
Signing Ian Poveda on deadline day
January was rather desperate for Sheffield Wednesday. They signed four players that month, all on loan; Kristian Pedersen, Ike Ugbo, James Beadle, and Ian Poveda.
Ugbo, Beadle, and Poveda played a huge role in the club’s eventual safety finish and Ugbo and Beadle have since returned.
But the Poveda signing was one that felt impactful. Signing in the final hours of deadline day, it showed the absolute determination from Rohl and his then new-look backroom and recruitment team, to get players in.
It won’t have been easy, as it never is in January. But Poveda arriving capped what proved to be a monumental January for the Owls.
Sheffield Wednesday thump West Brom in April
Sheffield Wednesday went into the final day game at Sunderland needing a point to confirm their safety; something unthinkable just a few months prior.
It came as the Owls went unbeaten in their five games before their eventual win at Sunderland, thumping West Brom 3-0 the game before.
Of all the final games for Wednesday, it feels like that win against eventual play-off semi-finalists West Brom was the most important.
And it was the most impressive, too. Wednesday dominated throughout, with Anthony Musaba, Ugbo, and Josh Windass all scoring.
It showed that sheer quality of that Wednesday side at the time; the same side who at the start of the season couldn’t buy a win.
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Owls thump Plymouth Argyle on the opening day
After the heroics of last season and the positivity of the summer transfer window, hopes were high for Sheffield Wednesday going into this season.
Those hopes were justified, and then some, when Wednesday beat Plymouth Argyle 4-0 on the opening day of the season.
Although that result proved to be something of an anomaly for the following weeks, it showed the positivity surrounding the club; both among fans and within the club.
The Owls are back on track now having come into this international break on the back of a win at Coventry City.