Danny Röhl’s influence at Sheffield Wednesday has been phenomenal, and it’s no wonder that clubs are already looking at the German manager.
The Owls manager has orchestrated a turnaround at the club, putting them in a strong position to secure their Championship status this season following a disastrous start.
The Yorkshire side was marooned at the bottom of the table after only one win in their first 18 league matches, but under Röhl’s supervision, they have climbed to within three points of safety at the time of writing, with 21st-placed Queens Park Rangers firmly in their sights.
Because of his recent resurgence, The Star reports that the 34-year-old has piqued the interest of several Championship clubs. There is regarded to be no immediate threat from an Owls perspective, but you wonder whether he will go if they are relegated?
It’s unknown who clubs are keeping an eye on Rohl, but Sunderland would make sense.
Tony Mowbray and Michael Beale are shown the door by the Black Cats
Sunderland are already looking for their third manager of the season, having let go Tony Mowbray and Michael Beale during the current campaign.
Mowbray, the former Middlesbrough manager, was fired at the start of December after only two wins in nine league games, despite his team lying ninth in the Championship table.
The 60-year-old had led the Black Cats to the playoff semi-finals the previous season and appeared poised to maintain his place at the top of the table until departing before Christmas.
Beale’s tenure at the Stadium of Light was more divided, with the former Queens Park Rangers manager managing a turbulent spell in command in the North East.
Four wins in 12 games paints a bleak picture of his tenure in charge, with owners Kyrill Louis-Dreyfus and Kristjan Speakman sacking yet another manager before he had properly established his footing.
Interim manager Mike Dodds has been hired until the end of the season, when a permanent appointment will be announced.
Danny Röhl’s comeback at Sheffield Wednesday.
That leaves the former Premier League club looking for a new manager, and despite suggestions that Alex Neil is interested in returning to the club he left for Stoke City in 2022, Röhl might be the man in the crosshairs of the Sunderland management.
The Owls took some time to get going under the German after his appointment in October of last year, but since December, they’ve been one of the division’s best teams.
The 34-year-old, who is presently the EFL’s youngest manager, has his squad blazing on all cylinders in their pursuit of a second consecutive season in the second division, with eight wins in their past 16 league matches giving them hope of accomplishing the impossible.
Wednesday are currently ranked seventh in the Championship table as of December 1st, 2023, indicating a reversal in fortunes at Hillsborough following Xisco Muńoz’s dismal start to the season.
You simply need to glance at the underlying stats to see the reversal since Röhl joined the club, with an xG of more than 1.0 only once in the first 12 matches of the season, compared to nine times in his first 12 matches in charge, according to FBRef.
Goal-scoring actions were scarce in the early part of the season, but they are now consistently exceeding 20 in their current form, with a season-high 42 recorded in the 3-1 victory over Hull City on New Year’s Day.
With an emphasis on high-pressing, offensive football, the Owls’ fortunes have quickly improved under the former Southampton boss, and they will believe they have a good chance of escaping relegation.
Danny Rohl meets the bill for Sunderland.
Sunderland may be watching and praying they can’t make their spectacular escape, but Rohl appears to be a suitable permanent replacement for Beale.
In recent years, the Black Cats have been associated with some of Europe’s most intriguing young coaches, like Will Still, Kim Hellberg, and Francesco Farioli, and the Wednesday manager would be an ideal candidate.
He has coaching experience with RB Leipzig, Southampton, Bayern Munich, and the German national team, and he has demonstrated that he can contribute to the Owls’ first-team success.
It remains to be seen whether he is interested in making the transition. In a recent interview with German source Kicker, Röhl discussed the freedom he has in his role at Wednesday and stated that he is content at Hillsborough.
He explained: “It’s the chairman, who also owns the club, and then there’s me. Every choice is made between the two of us. I handle all transfers, contract extensions, and hotel bookings. I have to sign off on everything. On the one hand, this short chain of command is beneficial for completing tasks fast; yet, it is time-consuming. My very seasoned coaching team has been quite helpful.
“After almost ten years in various roles, I’m quite pleased to be an English-style manager and to be assigned such obligations. Despite our hard position at the table, I arrive at work every day smiling.
“I feel a tremendous amount of positive energy; it’s just a lot of fun. I still maintain a very confidential contact with Hansi Flick, and we have regular discussions. But my entire attention is on my own growth as a head coach.”
It’s not a decision Rohl will have to make, or likely even consider, until the summer, but he might be a sought-after coach when 2023/24 is over, and Sunderland could be one of the interested parties.
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