Chris Waddle warns Mike Ashley that Sheffield Wednesday revival needs long-term vision

Former Sheffield Wednesday favourite Chris Waddle believes prospective owner Mike Ashley would need significant investment and a long-term plan if he is to successfully transform the Owls’ fortunes.

Ashley, the former Newcastle United owner, has been linked with a potential takeover at Hillsborough.

However, Waddle insists that simply committing £20-30 million over a short period would fall well short of what is required.

In an exclusive interview with BestBettingSites, the 65-year-old believes the scale of the task at the club goes far beyond short-term recruitment and warned that any new owner must address the wider structure of the club.

For exclusive stories and all the detailed EFL news you need, subscribe to The Football League Paper website, digital edition, or newspaper from as little as 14p a day.

WATCH THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE PAPER PODCAST HERE

Plan

“What Wednesday need is someone to come in with a proper plan,” he said. “The training ground needs upgrading, the stadium needs work, the squad needs rebuilding.

“It’s a massive job and there’s no quick fix.

“You can’t just say, ‘We’ll buy players’. Yes, players are important, but the infrastructure has to be sorted as well.

“With the points deduction, it’s very difficult for them. You almost have to accept they’ll go down and then start building properly.

“If they go into League One, a lot of these players would do fine, but the question is whether they want to do a Birmingham or Wrexham – spend big, get out of the league straight away and get the fans going again.”

Difficult

Turning his attention to the challenges of competing higher up the pyramid, Waddle stressed that promotion from the Championship demands sustained investment rather than quick fixes.

“When you get into the Championship, that’s where the pressure really starts,” he added.

“Spending a few million here and there doesn’t buy you promotion. If you want to get out of that league, you need serious money and a serious plan.

“The Championship isn’t as strong as it once was, but it’s still incredibly difficult.

“I do think Mike Ashley could get Wednesday into the Premier League, and I think he could keep them there.

“But I don’t think you’d see them challenging for Europe or trophies under him.

“It would be about survival, like it was at Newcastle. At first, fans accept that, but after a few years they want more.

“Newcastle fans eventually got bored of mid-table finishes and no ambition.”

Vision

Waddle also questioned what Ashley’s ultimate intentions might be and reiterated the need for a long-term vision from whoever takes charge at the club.

“If Mike Ashley sees Wednesday as a club he can get into the Premier League and then sell on, that’s one way of looking at it.

“But ideally, you want an owner with a 10, 20, 30-year vision. There’s no point replacing Chansiri with someone who’s basically the same.

“Saying you’ve got £20 or £30 million for a couple of years isn’t enough. That money disappears very quickly once you start upgrading facilities and buying players.

“Wednesday need someone who comes in and says, ‘I want to take this club forward, challenge in the Premier League, get into Europe, win cups’.

“That’s what the fans want. You can get 30,000 to 35,000 fans through the gate if you get it right, and not many clubs can do that. The potential is there.

“Look at Crystal Palace. They’ve plotted along, then got things right, won the FA Cup and got into Europe. It can be done if the club is run properly.

“Wednesday need the next owner to get it right – not just over a short spell to please the fans, but as a long-term project where you get into the Premier League and stay there.”

Full comments from Chris Waddle‘s interview are available at BestBettingSites

READ MORE: Sheffield Wednesday 0-3 Derby County: Patrick Agyemang scores twice as Rams defeat Owls