Sheffield Wednesday thought about offering Marco Silva a return to the dugout before choosing Tony Pulis as Garry Monk’s successor, according to The Sun (15 November, page 65).
When Owls owner Dejphon Chansiri decided to bring Monk’s 14-month spell at Hillsborough to an end, it’s fair to say the Championship strugglers cast a wide net as they scoured the market for a replacement.
Wednesday considered a whole host of candidates – from the proven (Pulis) to former player (Nigel Pearson) – via a number of left-field options (Sol Campbell and Phil Neville).
62-year-old Pulis was eventually handed the reins after a week of intense speculation, becoming the club’s fifth manager since summer 2015.
And, according to The Sun, the former Stoke City and Middlesbrough boss was chosen after the Sheffield Wednesday board decided not to press ahead with their interest in another out-of-work tactician – former Sporting Lisbon boss Silva.
One of the most highly rated young coaches on the continent, a hugely disappointing spell at Everton has taken some of the shine off Silva’s formerly glittering reputation.
That’s without mentioning a controversial departure from Watford in 2018 and the relegation he suffered with Hull City a year earlier.
Silva, of course, has never coached at Championship level, while his man-management skills have come under question during a largely mixed Premier League career.
In Pulis, Sheffield Wednesday have taken the safety-first approach. But, sitting second-bottom of the table after 11 games, who can blame them?
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