Sheffield Wednesday’s ownership issue is now a Chansiri family affair – Dejphon needs help

Piercing the fog around Hillsborough, one shaft of complete clarity – a football club, like any piece of property, is only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it. And here’s another. It’s also about what someone’s prepared to sell it for.

So any pretense that the takeover of a football club is a simple business is plain silly. That’s why guesswork valuations are pointless in the end, and there won’t be one attempted here.

But where I feel there should be common ground between the current owner and everyone involved with Sheffield Wednesday is that he gets out for the best offer he’s made. For his benefit too, as well as the club’s, and as soon as possible – for the health of both parties.

The Danny Rohl debate should not deflect or distract from that. It’s possible, if so inclined, to be both critical of his approach to leaving AND demand attention for the root cause.

Official club recognition of one approach, albeit rejected, looked to me like a move in this direction and the right one.

As for potential investors being the “right people,” we are heading into murky waters here.

From experience of being suckered in the past, along with just about everyone else (dare I mention Geoff Sheard?), I’ll always be wary in the future of getting close to any bidder and backing their cause.

It’s something best waited out from a distance because takeovers are treacherous territory. No one on the outside can be sure of motives and intentions. Another reason why a football regulator can’t come soon enough.

The influence of the Chansiri family

A bit like new ownership for Sheffield Wednesday itself. But it’s also about reputation, something that now clearly concerns the Chansiri family, the Thai owners of a tuna empire, as a whole and not just one member of it.

What happens next involves more than a besieged chairman. We are all human, and there will be arms around him with seemingly only one possible way of helping.

But I’m sure there are many in Wednesday’s fan base who would prefer to wish Dejphon Chansiri the most dignified possible exit rather than continuing to protest.

His family can help make that happen, and further transparency about interested parties can only ease the way.