The Inside Scoop: Contract Demands Force Shocking Departure of Darren Moore from Sheffield Wednesday, Reveals Chairman Chansiri

Sheffield Wednesday chairman Dejphon Chansiri alleges that manager Darren Moore departed the club after requesting a contract renewal that was four times larger than his current one. To the surprise of many, Moore left the Owls earlier this month, despite successfully leading the club to promotion to League One through the play-offs.

Speculation regarding a rift between Chansiri and Moore over the transfer budget for the upcoming Championship campaign has been deemed "damaging" by Chansiri himself. However, the Thai businessman has now broken his silence, initially abiding by Moore's request for silence on the matter.

Moore, out of respect for the Hillsborough club, is believed to prefer not engaging in a public debate about his departure. Following Chansiri's remarks on Thursday, Moore's stance remains unchanged.

In a statement posted on the club's official website, Chansiri expressed his satisfaction with the team's promotion at the end of the season. He mentioned that the retained list was finalized on June 1st and discussed plans for recruiting new players for the Championship. Chansiri requested Darren to provide a summary of their targets. They planned to meet again the following week to further develop their strategies. During Darren's holiday, they spoke again, focusing on player recruitment. It was during this conversation that Darren mentioned the expiring contracts of his coaching team at the end of June. Chansiri expressed his willingness to discuss Darren's proposals for the coaching staff and requested him to send them over.

"He then brought up his own contract, which I informed him was automatically activated upon our promotion. However, I expressed openness to discussing a new contract and requested Darren to send me the specifics and his proposals for me to review.

"After a few days, I received his contract proposals and urged Darren to reconsider by asking, 'Are you certain about this?'. I inquired if his agent had influenced these proposals, to which Darren clarified that they were merely a guideline. I enquired if he desired a definite 'yes' or 'no' response or if we could further discuss. Darren clarified that it was just a guideline and he would reevaluate the specifics."

We scheduled a meeting for Wednesday, 14 June to discuss matters in person at my office. During our conversation, we delved into the topic of players and Darren expressed his interest in learning about the contracts of his coaching staff. I informed him that it was imperative for him to resolve his own situation first, as we could not proceed with discussions about his staff while this matter remained unresolved.

Furthermore, I emphasized the need for a resolution before Thursday, as we could not afford to prolong the recruitment process. Even in the event of disagreement, it is essential to maintain amicable relations. However, it is crucial that we find a resolution to this situation.

I informed Darren that I was pleased with his decision to stay, as he had earned a promotion and deserved an opportunity in the Championship. I expressed my willingness to enhance his salary and include additional bonuses in his contract, with the highest bonus granted if we were to reach the Premier League. However, the proposal presented by Darren greatly exceeded his current contract terms. Considering the club's best interests, I explained that I could not offer a minimum of four times his current salary on a three-year contract, as it was essential for me to be practical and safeguard the club.

I advised Darren to thoroughly reconsider whether he truly believed this was a favorable idea. I reassured him of my unwavering support throughout his tenure at our club, and expressed my desire for us to continue our journey and achieve success together.

On Thursday 15 June, we reconvened and Darren informed me that he was unable to accept. I acknowledged his decision with acceptance, noting that I didn't anticipate him encountering any difficulties in finding a new job. I also assured Darren that I would aid in the announcement of his departure through mutual agreement, as it would be advantageous for his future prospects.

The Owls have yet to appoint Moore's replacement, with Dean Smith among those linked with the vacancy.

We News has approached Moore for comment.