Daniel is an experienced football journalist and editor at Football FanCast with over a decade of experience covering the EFL, Scottish football and the wider professional game. Since beginning his career in 2015, he has developed extensive expertise in data-led analysis and original football features.  

Daniel began his career at Fresh Press before writing and editing for publications including Read Norwich, Read Celtic and Anfield Watch. Throughout his career, he has interviewed football figures including Liverpool goalkeeping coach John Achterberg, former striker Adebayo Akinfenwa and journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Since joining Football FanCast, Daniel has contributed as both a writer and editor. His specialist knowledge has also seen him contribute to BBC Norfolk and assist DAZN with commentary research. A Norwich City season-ticket holder, he combines professional reporting experience with first-hand knowledge of the English and Scottish games.

Sheffield Wednesday decided to part ways with head coach Henrik Pedersen on Sunday after the club lost 2-0 to Doncaster Rovers in League One on Saturday.

The Owls lost their last two matches without scoring a goal under the Danish tactician, which led to the board taking action and removing him from his post.

Matt Hamshaw took interim charge for the 1-1 draw with Cambridge United on Tuesday night in the third tier, as the club continue to search for a permanent replacement for Pedersen.

Former Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom was named as a contender for the posting, but he has since been all-but-ruled out of the running.

Why Heckingbottom would be the wrong choice for Sheffield Wednesday

BBC Radio Sheffield have said that the experienced coach can essentially be ruled out of the running for the job, alongside Steve Cooper and Rob Edwards.

This should come as good news for Owls supporters because Heckingbottom would not have been the right choice for the club in League One this season.

The 49-year-old coach was only sacked by Preston North End last month and would have arrived at Hillsborough without much time to reset after a dismal run in the Championship, losing six of his seven matches this season.

Wednesday are looking to turn their form around and get back to winning ways in League One, which suggests that hiring a manager who is fresh off the back of a dreadful run of losses at another club is not the way to go.

Therefore, it is good news to read that the Englishman has been ruled out as a potential successor to Pedersen in the dugout at Hillsborough this week.

Why 3-5-2 manager would be a dream alternative to Heckingbottom

There is an out-of-work manager available who would be a dream alternative to Heckingbottom, though, and the Owls should be targeting him in the coming days.

Jon Dahl Tomasson has been out of management since he left the Swedish national team in October 2025, which means that he has had a year out of the game to reset and recharge as a coach.

The Dane won nine of his 18 matches in charge of Sweden, with his side scoring 36 goals in that time, but it is spells with Blackburn Rovers and Malmo that suggest that he could be the ideal hire for Wednesday.

He led Blackburn to a seventh-placed finish in the Championship in the 2022/23 campaign, winning 20 of his 46 matches, and they have not come that close to the play-offs since his departure.

Prior to working at Ewood Park in the second tier in England, the former Denmark international enjoyed terrific success with Malmo in the Allsvenskan.

The 50-year-old coach, who prefers a 3-5-2 formation, won the Swedish top-flight in both of his seasons in charge of the club, before joining Blackburn in 2022.

Malmo did not win the league in the two seasons before Tomasson's spell in charge and did not win the league in the 2022 campaign after he moved on from the Allsvenskan champions.

When you also consider that Blackburn have not finished higher than seventh in the Championship since the Dane left them, it is clear to see that he elevates the team that he coaches.

Tomasson would, therefore, be the dream alternative to Heckingbottom for the Owls because he has had plenty of time off since his last job, has proven that he can win titles, and has experience in English football.

Wednesday, after their 1-1 draw with Cambridge United last time out, need a manager who knows how to coach a team to win games on a regular basis, and that is exactly what Tomasson is.

It is now down to the board to make contact with the Dane to see if he would be interested in coming in to take over from Pedersen in their hunt to earn promotion from the third tier this season.