Danny Rohl hints at show of faith in Sheffield Wednesday after he 'decides' against Southampton move

Rohl will be in the dugout for Saturday's early Championship kick-off at home to Stoke CIty – something which was far from certain after the Premier League Saints sacked Russell Martin on Sunday.

That his usual pre-match briefing came 24 hours later than usual was perhaps an indication of the uncertainty but by the time he addressed the media, it was looking increasingly clear former Roma manager Ivan Luric will take the job former Southampton assistant manager Rohl was heavily linked with from the start.

And whilst Rohl stopped short of grand statements of long-term loyalty – perhaps partly out of honesty, partly to keep the pressure on owner/chairman Dejphon Chansiri to back him in the January transfer window – the mere fact he was still around to make them was important news for a club he has transformed.

"The most important key point is that I'm here, I decide to stay in this case," he said.

"It's always an honour when you get linked with Premier League clubs. I think everybody knows my history (with Southampton), it was a part of my life but the most important key point is the game on Saturday.

"My decision is clear, I will stay here at Sheffield Wednesday. It's important the club knows my ambitions.

"I think we agreed we want to improve and attack the higher positions in the table. Everybody knows what it needs in January."

Asked if this was a sign of his future commitment, he was slightly equivocal. He is, after all, working in one of the least stable professions there is.

"Future is a big, big word but I'm here, I think everyone knows I love this club, I love the supporters, I love my team," he said.

"I think we've achieved a lot in the last 14 months and our journey is not over at this point. We want to improve as a team and want to make the next step."

Even when picked up on his use of the word "decide" he was woolly.

"This is always for my agent," he said. "We are very clear what we want to do, I'm clear what is important for me, and especially for my group of players.

"I feel we have something in our journey and this is what I want to see in the next 26 games, that we have a strong commitment from every side to again do something special.

"For me it's clear it's not just about talk, we have to do, we have to work hard and do everything right.

"We know there's a lot of points we can win but we will not achieve something with 29 points."

Rohl recently made clear he wants to add players – most likely on loan from the Premier League – who can raise the level of his first XI in January. Fortunate to still have him, it is important the club tries hard to match his ambition because with his growing reputation and current rate of progress, it will not be the last time he has the chance to move elsewhere.

As Rohl put it, "When you are growing together as a group and a club, this is the best case."

Asked if he was confident that would happen, he spoke about trust.

"I can suggest, I can make recommendations, I can push and I can trust," he said. "This is the important key point. We will see."

Rohl has a squad in good shape for the challenges the Festive period will present.

"We have just one big injury with Akin (Famewo), Olaf (Kobacki) looks good, Svante (Ingelsson) got a knock in training on Friday, let's see," he said.

"But all in all everybody (else) is available. This is fantastic, especially when you have five games in the next 12 days. It's helpful for you, as the manager, and for the group and the club."