Mammadov is right man to succeed me, says Mandaric

A new summer, another king-size challenge for the Azerbaijani-born businessman who, after transforming the fortunes of Les Sang et Or and restoring them to the top flight of French football, is now entrusted with returning Sheffield Wednesday to the 
Premier League.

It proved a task too excessive for Milan Mandaric, who despite vowing ‘to do everything in his power’ to restore Wednesday to what their fans see as their rightful place in the top division, ultimately fell short.

It is now onto the next man in Mammadov after a 50m euros deal was struck subject to Football League ratification.

After achieving his declared ambition to return Lens to Ligue 1 after a three-year exile last season, his challenge is to sate the appetites of the Owls’ hordes.

It is 14 years and counting since Wednesday last played in the top tier and while Mandaric proved the man to ‘step up and deliver’, in the words of former manager Howard Wilkinson, by steering a proud name away from the brink of administration in late 2010, Mammadov has his own mandate.

A liking for fine wines might suggest that the 49-year-old enjoys the refined things in life.

But it is the beautiful game of football which remains the enduring passion of the multi-millionaire, whose strong interest first emerged in 2004 when he purchased local club FC Baku.

A driven individual, whose chairmanship of Baghlan Group has seen the company involved in major projects in transportation, construction, sports complexes and oil exploration, Mammadov has a firm reputation as a ‘doer’ who prefers actions to words.

He has shown similar decisiveness and clarity of thought at Lens, with one of his first decisions to part company with manager Eric Sikora and replace him with ex-PSG boss Antoine Kombouaré yielding fruit by way of promotion.

A man who prefers to stay in the background he may be, but when it comes to making footballing decisions, Mammadov – whose occasional visits to games at Lens are accompanied by a considerable entourage, including several bodyguards – does not appear to be a shrinking violet.

Having funded the renaissance of Lens, now back in the top flight after his year in charge, Mammadov is setting his longer-term sights on the Champions League, having recently pledged to inject a further 15m euros to help them consolidate back in Ligue 1.

Not too many who know him would bet against him achieving this lofty aim.

Judging by his own comments, Mandaric has confidence that Owls will be safe under Mammadov.

Mandaric – who will stay on as chairman at Hillsborough to help his successor acclimatise to English football – said: “Hafiz is a true football man and I have no doubt whatsoever that I am handing over control to someone with a real passion for the game and the ability to carry on the work I started three years ago to return Sheffield Wednesday back to the top division of English football.

“It’s something that the wonderful supporters of this club deserve, having remained so loyal throughout the difficult times prior to my arrival.”

After revealing his willingness to step aside if suitable prospective owners got in touch, Mandaric has been fastidious in his search for those who he feels tick all the right boxes to move Wednesday forward.

His association with the Yorkshire club may follow on from his time at Leicester City and Portsmouth, but the Serbian businessman has been consistent in his declaration that he will not gamble on the long-term future of the club when it comes to finding out a suitable buyer in his own version of the ‘Fit and Proper Person’s Test’.

Mandaric is adamant he has fulfilled that brief in terms of being a safe custodian of one of the oldest clubs in the English game.

He is equally confident that in Mammadov he has found a like-minded individual who will display a duty of care towards Wednesday, whose supporters have suffered their fair share of tough times in the past 15 years.

He said: “On my first day at the club, I promised the supporters two things; firstly I would ensure that when I left we would be in far better shape than when I arrived and, more importantly, that I would only hand over ownership when I found the right man for the club.

“And I sincerely believe I have delivered on both undertakings.”