Pearson has praised the effect had by Carlos Carvalhal at Hillsborough.
Former Sheffield Wednesday striker John Pearson has told Sheffield Live TV that one recent ex-boss was ‘a cloud over the club’.
But Pearson, who played for his hometown team in the early 1980s and is now part of the Wednesday Player commentary team, praised the effect had by current incumbent Carlos Carvalhal at Hillsborough.
The previously unknown Portuguese became an instant hit during last season’s run to the Championship play-off final and is slowly leading Wednesday back to promotion contention in his second campaign.
But according to Pearson, it is not just on the pitch where Carvalhal has improved the Owls.
“Carlos has been superb around the club, not only (in a) football (sense) but as a person,” the 53-year-old told Sheffield Live TV. “I can talk about one particular manager, who was a cloud over the club, and it wasn’t enjoyable going in. Carlos has come in, breath of fresh air, there isn’t a lock on every door. You don’t have to have a code to put in to get past this floor, get past that floor.”
But who is Pearson’s mystery villain? “In my opinion – and it is only my opinion – it was Dave Jones,” he added.
Jones took charge at Hillsborough in early 2012 and led Wednesday to promotion as League One runners-up only three months later.
After keeping the Owls afloat the following season, the Liverpudlian won just one of his 16 matches in 2013-14 and was replaced by assistant Stuart Gray.
Gray led Jones’ team to 16th that campaign and 13th the year after, having put his own stamp on the squad, but was replaced by Carvalhal in summer 2015.
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