23 games that made Darren Moore

After masterminding a club-record unbeaten streak, the Sheffield Wednesday boss has finally won over his critics and has the backing of the fans ahead of a pivotal summer transfer window.

When Darren Moore was announced as Sheffield Wednesday manager in March 2021, it was difficult to gauge whether his appointment would bring success to Hillsborough.

His previous managerial work had been solid but unspectacular. By leading West Brom to fourth place in the Championship before his harsh dismissal and solidifying Doncaster Rovers as an upper mid-table League One outfit, he had demonstrated he was capable of meeting expectations, even if he couldn’t exceed them.

The Owls’ last-day relegation from the Championship two months later presented an opportunity for Moore. While it was hard to argue that his career had been a failure until this point, his CV was still lacking any meaningful achievement. In League One, Wednesday‘s squad would rank among the best in the division so if he could repeat the trick of getting his players to perform to their natural abilities, the promotion that had so far eluded Moore would finally become a reality.

Although Wednesday’s form in the second half of the season improved after a poor start, 2021-22 ended with a play-off defeat to Sunderland. By historical precedent, this was by no means a disaster. The club’s two previous relegations to League One were followed by limp bottom-half finishes but on both occasions they had tasted promotion the year after.

This meant that success in 2022-23 was imperative for Moore, who was once again backed with a strong squad and healthy budget. A promising start was hindered by an agonising last-gasp defeat at Plymouth Argyle in early October, a loss which left the Owls trailing the automatic promotion places by four points.

Moore had substituted star midfielder Barry Bannan in the 74th minute, when the scores were level and Wednesday were dominant. This decision killed the team’s momentum and swung the match back in Plymouth’s favour. 

In the aftermath, the notion that Moore was holding the club back resurfaced once again. Many supporters felt that the individual quality within the Owls’ squad would be enough to seal a play-off place but that the manager’s in-game tactical deficiencies would ultimately cost them a top two position.

However, the critics were silenced in remarkable fashion, with Moore overseeing a club record 23-match unbeaten league run, which was only ended in midweek by a 4-2 reverse at neighbours Barnsley. There is every chance the Owls will bounce back too, with Sunday’s trip to rock-bottom Forest Green Rovers an ideal opportunity to establish a six-point cushion between themselves and the play-off places.

While Moore still has a formidable squad, he has developed a system to suit his players’ talents, rather than solely relying on them. The frequent personnel tweaks of last year are a thing of the past and the line-up is far more settled.

In midfield, George Byers’s energy and Will Vaulks’s defensive solidity perfectly compliment the technical ability of captain Bannan, whose exquisite delivery has provided countless assists for physical strikers Michael Smith and Lee Gregory.

At the back, Wednesday have conceded just 27 goals. Even the recall of loanee Mark McGuiness and injuries to Ben Heneghan and Michael Ihiekwe have not disrupted the understanding between the backline.

There is still room for improvement though. Ahead of next season, which will almost certainly see Championship football hosted at Hillsborough once more, the rear-guard will need strengthening further. Despite giving up only 27 goals, over half of them have come against the rest of the top six, which implies that the defence could struggle against second tier opposition.

The team has visibly struggled when facing a high press, with none of their centre-backs - Akin Famewo aside - particularly comfortable on the ball. In the division above, Moore may instruct his team to sit back and let the opposition dominate possession, but at present Wednesday lack the necessary pace to effectively execute a counter-attacking game plan.

Much of this lack of speed is down to the squad’s age profile. Bannan, Smith and Gregory are all in their thirties, as are wing-backs Marvin Johnson and Liam Palmer. While their quality is undeniable, they would surely benefit from having some more energy alongside them, especially with Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s departure looking increasingly likely and Malik Wilks having largely flattered to deceive since his summer arrival.

Recruiting younger, athletic players will also require a shift in transfer policy because since Dejphon Chansiri bought the club, Wednesday have generally maintained a core of experienced campaigners and most of the more youthful additions have been loanees.  

However, the recent permanent additions of Wilks and Famewo show that the owner, whose prior financial recklessness was a big factor in Wednesday’s relegation, could be open to a adopting a different approach. If anybody can influence this change it is Moore, who has always maintained a positive relationship with Chansiri, a stark contrast to the not-always-harmonious connection between the club’s fans and the board.  

The Owls are on course for a 100-point season and boast a superior squad to many teams currently in the second tier, meaning that they are only in need of a renewal, rather than a full rebuild. Yet just a few months ago, most Wednesday fans would have been apprehensive about entrusting Moore with this responsibility and giving him the opportunity to test himself at a higher level.

Those 23 matches have changed everything though. As long as he can bounce back from the disappointment at Barnsley and lead the Owls back to the second tier, Moore will end the season with a well-deserved boost to his reputation and have earned the unequivocal trust of the fans to move the club forward.