Owls in Catch-22 situation

Kinnear refused a move to Hillsborough

Sheffield Wednesday chairman Howard Culley has admitted that he may have to sell players before appointing a new manager.

The club have a massive wage bill and are under pressure to reduce their outgoings.

And the only feasible way this would be achieved is by selling some of their star names.

"We have had one or two preliminary inquiries for players and in the right circumstances, yes we would trade before the appointment of a new manager," said Cullley.

The funds from selling top players, such as Sweden's Niclas Alexandersson and Belgian's Gilles De Bilde, both currently involved in Euro 2000, would help any new manager's attempts to bring in players into the squad.

We have had one or two preliminary inquiries for players and in the right circumstances, yes we would trade before the appointment of a new manager

Owls chairman Howard Culley

And another problem would lie in attracting good yet relatively cheap players who would want to play in the First Division.

Earlier this month former Wimbledon boss Joe Kinnear refused an offer to join the club because of the lack of funds that would be available to him.

Kinnear's agent said: "With the problems that Sheffield Wednesday have had it would be virtually impossible to achieve what he (Kinnear) wanted to achieve.

"He would only take the job if he thought he could get them back into the Premiership and he felt he couldn't do that with the predicament Sheffield Wednesday find themselves in."

A return to the Premiership is a priority for the Hillsborough outfit as is finding a high profile manager.

Kinnear sights were set on taking over the helm at Celtic, but his hopes were dashed when Martin O'Neill took the coveted position.

The former Republic of Ireland international was also shortlisted for the vacant position at Filbert Street, but that has recently been taken by Peter Taylor.