WWE Debate: Did Sheamus Backlash Play Into Vince McMahon's Plan?

A great work, or a bad move?

WWE made Sheamus their new Champion at Survivor Series, and fan criticism has subsequently been rife. But was disappointment and anger not the entire point? Has the Sheamus backlash actually been Vince McMahon's plan all along? Or, is this just a case of terrible booking? One thing is for sure, Roman Reigns was more over on Raw this week. Not only were cheers loud, but a "Roman" chant also got going. By putting the belt on Sheamus, it has made Reigns more popular, which has been a long term goal for WWE. An "anyone but Sheamus" mentality now exists in the fanbase, which is going to play into the advantage of The Big Dog. Indeed, the Irishman could be the foil that the franchise project has always needed.
An image post on reddit has summed it up as good as anything, "Internet wrestling fan logic: They booked the heel who I don't like to win. The WWE doesn't get it. They should have booked the heel that I do like. He would be a heel I could cheer for. The WWE just doesn't understand wrestling." On the other hand, the Raw ratings drop could be viewed as a sign that Sheamus was a bad move. However, with NFL ratings up by two million, that has to be considered the main culprit. The fact is that Raw is more valuable now than ever before to USA Network, as explained here. Have your say, is Sheamus a great work from Vince McMahon, or is this a sign of serious misjudgement?
WWE Writer

Grahame Herbert hasn't written a bio just yet, but if they had... it would appear here.