A Sheffield Wednesday women’s supporters group have demanded boss Danny Rohl “think carefully” about who the club sign after Nico Schulz was spotted training with the Championship side.
Schulz, a former Borussia Dortmund defender and 12-cap German international, has been spending time at the Owls’ training ground over recent weeks. Manager Rohl has not ruled out the prospect of signing him for the remainder of the season.
That has left some fans concerned. Schulz, 30, has been in court facing three counts of grievous bodily harm against a former partner.
He was told to pay a total of €150,000 to five different non-profit organisations, including women’s charities, within three months and the case would be discontinued. Amid the accusations, SWFC Women’s Supporters Group penned an open letter to Rohl imploring caution regarding the type of players welcomed to the club.
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Shared on Twitter, it read: “Danny, let us introduce ourselves. We are the SWFC Women’s Supporters Group – 336 Sheffield Wednesday fans from all backgrounds, men and women together. We formed in April 2023, when it became apparent that there was a real and persistent problem with sexism and hatred directed at female fans, players and officials.
“Recently, you welcomed someone into our club and into our city who was charged with violent acts against a woman. You gave him our badge. Welcoming anyone accused of violence against a woman normalises and legitimises this behaviour.
“It turns them into role models for our children. It crushes past, present and future victims of such violence and forces them into silence. Our pain, experiences and safety are disregarded. It tells women that we don’t matter.
![Nico Schulz](https://www.footymercato.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/sheff-weds-womens-supporters-club-write-open-letter-to-manager-over-transfer-2.webp)
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“Making football a safer and more supportive space is a difficult task. Your decisions about who wears the badge make a difference. Your decisions matter. Next week, we launch a campaign to celebrate Women at Wednesday. We invite you to participate in our campaign and in our mission of making our club the safest and most supportive place it can be.
“Please remember that football is about more than results. It is our community. Please think carefully about who you welcome into our club and into our city. Thank you, SWFC Women’s Supporters Group.”
As it stands, Schulz remains a free agent. His contract with Borussia Dortmund was terminated at the start of this season and he has been without a club ever since.
The defender had made 61 appearances for the club after being signed for a reported £22m from Hoffenheim. Before that, he had also played for Borussia Monchengladbach and Hertha Berlin.
Elsewhere, Sheffield Wednesday are under severe threat of relegation from the Championship. Rohl’s side sit 23rd on 32 points – three points adrift of safety with 12 games remaining.
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