Neil Thompson happy to let results determine his Sheffield Wednesday fate

The former Barnsley, York City and Scarborough left-back has only enhanced his reputation during a second stint as Owls’ caretaker manager this season and victory in tomorrow’s FA Cup fourth-round tie at Everton, or even a strong performance, will further the positive impression.

The 57-year-old has been coaching the Owls’ junior teams since 2011 and seems happy enough returning to that if chairman Dejphon Chansiri opts for an external replacement for Tony Pulis, sacked on December 28.

Chansiri was planning a quick appointment but crucial home wins over Middlesbrough and Derby County, an impressive FA Cup victory at Exeter City without a host of first-team players and coaches including Thompson through Covid-19 – and the shutting down of their training ground because of the virus – have seen him take his time.

“Whether a new manager comes in or not, I’m quite relaxed about it,” said Thompson, whose last first-team management job was at Boston United in 2004 having previously been in charge at York and Scarborough.

“I’ve been asked to prepare the team for games and that’s what I’ll do. Whatever comes at the end of it is fine by me, I’m not putting myself under any pressure thinking I’ve got to do this or that.

“Whatever position you are at the club, you give everything you’ve got to get the best results you possibly can. In terms of the manager’s position, whatever comes, comes.”

Thompson held the fort between Garry Monk and Pulis’s tenures without taking charge of a game. The former Leeds United under-23 coach would be a popular choice with the players.

“We’ve got a massive respect as a team for Neil Thompson,” said captain Barry Bannan. “I think the boys would be more than happy if Tommo was here to the end of the season. That’s out of our hands, it’s above us. It’s the chairman’s decision and we’ll back him whatever way he goes.”

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