Chris Waddle: Why Sheffield Wednesday boss Dave Challinor must act 'very, very quickly' to sort 'disjointed' Owls
SHEFFIELD Wednesday legend Chris Waddle has urged new manager Dave Challinor to act 'very, very quickly' to sort out the 'disjointed' Owls - following the club's mixed start to 2026-27.
Challinor takes charge of his first game at League One level for the club in Saturday’s home meeting with Plymouth Argyle, with the Owls currently in ninth position in the table.
Wednesday lost in Challinor's first match at the helm on Sunday, a 2-1 FA Cup exit to League Two outfit Oldham Athletic.
The former Stockport County chief professed to being 'frustrated' and 'disappointed' following the shock loss at Boundary Park and acknowledged that he has 'plenty of work to do' in the coming weeks and months ahead.
Speaking via iGaming.com, Waddle said that he feels the Owls, as it stands, currently lack clarity regarding midfield and offensive players not playing in their right positions, in his eyes.
He said: "He needs to get to grips with the players in his squad and their best roles on the grass and he needs to do it very, very quickly.
"The trouble with Sheffield Wednesday is that he's got players who don't actually play in their proper positions, apart from the back four.
"In midfield, do you play Barry Bannan as a six, an eight, or a 10? You have other players who just seem to run around.
"Davis Keillor-Dunn was centre-forward (on Sunday) and he's a number 10. He proved that at Barnsley where he scored goals by coming from behind the second striker.
"Dave will look at the squad and think it's a little bit disjointed. He needs to get it back to being organised, with players playing in the positions they were actually bought and signed to play.
"He's got the nucleus of a squad if he can get the balance right. That's what's letting Sheffield Wednesday down—the shape of the team.
"Players seem to be playing in positions where you think, 'I bet he's never played there until this season.'
"He needs time like everybody else, but he's probably looking at it thinking, "I need to get some round pegs in round holes."
Chris Waddle was speaking to iGaming.com which reviews the best online casinos for UK players.