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A German pundit is critical of Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl over the Qatar controversy

Strange criticism of Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl has emerged from Germany.

Rohl is making headlines in both the UK and his native Germany after his miraculous return with Sheffield Wednesday.

He led the Owls to safety following his appointment as manager in October; at the time of his arrival, Sheffield Wednesday were winless in the league and on seven points.

Finally, Wednesday finished the 2023/24 season with 53 points on the board and three points clear of safety.

The German press hailed Rohl’s “miracle in England” after Wednesday’s final-day victory over Sunderland secured Championship status.

But new claims from Germany have thrown some criticism in Rohl’s face.

Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl in action during the Sky Bet Championship match between Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday at Ewood Pa...
Photo by Alex Dodd – CameraSport via Getty Images

A German pundit is critical of Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl

Rohl has become Hansi Flick’s number 2 in the Germany national team set up in 2021, having previously worked under Flick at Bayern Munich.

But Rohl would leave the position shortly before taking over at Sheffield Wednesday, his exit following Germany’s disastrous 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

They failed to qualify out of their group, beating Costa Rica and drawing with Spain, but losing to Japan to eventually finish in 3rd place.

Flick, who saw Rohl’s Sheffield Wednesday beat Plymouth Argyle in March, left his position last year.

During the World Cup in Qatar, Germany allowed Amazon Prime cameras to film an All or Nothing documentary, which received poor reviews.

There is ongoing speculation that Flick could soon return to former club Bayern Munich, where Rohl was also his No.2.

But German expert and former coach Mehmet Scholl criticized Rohl’s involvement in the German national team at the World Cup.

Speaking to German publication BILD, Scholl said: “I think Flick was driven crazy at the World Cup by his student assistant coach (Rohl), who constantly distracted him with the iPad. Hansi lost his way a little because he trusted the wrong man.”

Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl cheers on his players during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield Wednesday and Watford at H...
Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images

Danny Rohl and Hansi Flick will meet again

Flick looks set to return to management sooner rather than later, and it will likely be with a top European club with current links to Bayern Munich after loose links with Barcelona.

But Rohl is his own manager now. He has shown he is capable of handling himself and returning as Flick’s number 2, even if at a top European club, would be a step backwards for Rohl.

And Rohl is reportedly lining up his future with Sheffield Wednesday, with owner Dejphon Chansiri working off the pitch to ensure Rohl stays long-term.

However, Scholl’s comments are very bizarre. Germany certainly capitulated at the World Cup in Qatar, but whether that was only because Flick was distracted by Rohl and his iPad remains to be seen, if not unlikely.

Flick has shown a lot of faith in Rohl and now, after seeing how well he did at Sheffield Wednesday, it’s clear to see why.

There will always be coaches and pundits pulling against Rohl, especially now that he is proving to be successful, and it will just have to be something Rohl learns to live with.

At the moment, though, he’s loved in Sheffield and that’s all that will matter to him.

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