Lee Bullen has explained why he felt he had to leave Sheffield Wednesday two years ago.
Lee Bullen has spent a massive chunk of his football career with Sheffield Wednesday, having initally joined as a player in 2004.
The former utility man played spent four years at Hillsborough and helped them win the League One play-offs in 2005 before helping them stay up in his final season.
Bullen left the club in 2008 but returned only three years later to become a youth coach.
He was then promoted to assistant manager in 2015, working alongside Carlos Carvalhal.
Bullen had three separate stints as caretaker manager in the space of three years, before becoming the U23s coach in August 2020.
The 53-year-old eventually left Sheffield Wednesday in January 2022, becoming manager of Scottish Championship side Ayr United.
Four months after leaving Ayr, Bullen has now explained how he knew that he really needed to leave Wednesday two years ago.
Lee Bullen was ‘ready’ to become Sheffield Wednesday manager
Speaking on BBC’s Owls Heaven podcast, Bullen said: “The first time I wasn’t ready, I knew I wasn’t ready. Loved it, but I knew I wasn’t ready and I loved my role as an assistant. I loved being that link between the players and the coaching staff.
“The second time I did it, I realy enjoyed it. Obviously, results dictate everything. We won two and drew two.
“So then I think we lost one game during pre-season then I think we were top of the league for two or three games. Then we had a couple of results which dropped us down and then by the first international break comes, I knew he’s got to make a decision here.
“We had QPR before the international break and I’m at home thinking, if we win this one, I’ve won five out of seven games. He’s got to give me the job. Bizarrely we lost that game, it was a sore one. But the chairman comes up to me and asks me, who do you think I should give the job to? So I said me. My relationship with the chairman was great, but at that point, I just knew I wasn’t going to get the opportunity. Then he says to me, but if I give you the job, I’m going to have to sack you some time. I was prepared for that and I understood that. I thought I was ready for it at that point. I thought I had the players on side and everything like that.
“But the decision was made to bring Garry Monk in and then he made his decision to bring his own people in. There’s no problem at all with that. I stepped back to the U21s and then I thought, If I really want to do this, be my own man, I’m going to have to leave Wednesday.”
Bullen has been without a club since leaving Ayr United in January.
Despite his close bond with Sheffield Wednesday and the supporters, it now seems unlikely he will return if he is still eager to move back into management.
Sheffield Wednesday should be delighted with their current coaching staff
Bullen was a brilliant servant to the club on both the pitch and in the dugouts, but the Owls will definitely be very content with their current coaching staff.
It’s not only Danny Rohl that has really impressed since joining in October, it’s also everyone he has alongside him.
Chris Powell has made a positive impact since his arrival and is likely toearn himself a new contract, while performance manager Sascha Lense has also been vital – bringing in his experience from working at Schalke, RB Leipzig and Manchester United.
Wednesday have a brilliant team both on and off the pitch at the moment, and there is no denying that the future is looking much brighter than it has done in a long time.
The post 'I was ready': Lee Bullen explains how he knew he had to 'leave' Sheffield Wednesday in 2022 appeared first on Sheffield Wednesday News.