Extent of fresh Sheffield Wednesday injury concerns revealed ahead of Stoke City clash
Owls skipper Barry Bannan has sat out of their last two matches with an ankle problem and remains touch-and-go for this afternoon’s battle at the bet365 Stadium. Alongside the season-ending injuries of Di’Shon Bernard and Max Lowe, Wednesday boss Danny Röhl revealed two further injury problems that could shorten the squad.
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Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Röhl admitted both Michael Ihiekwe and Anthony Musaba were doubts and though Bannan has made strides in his recovery nothing was guaranteed over his availability. None of the issues are longer-term, Röhl said.
“These are injuries for tomorrow,” he said. “Barry is very close and this is a decision for the game, maybe tomorrow morning and so we will take the extra man to the game of course. Icky got a knock in the training, let’s see how it goes overnight. Musa had some problems with his ankle during the week. It is all decisions for me to make, but they are more short-term than long-term.”
Key man Bannan is known to race himself back from injury, such is his desire to play. Wednesday are attempting to finish the season strongly after a difficult second half to the season and the fit-and-firing return of their talisman would surely act as a boost in the Potteries.
“I see that he works very hard to come back and he wants to play,” said the Owls boss on his skipper. “I think it is a good signal, he looked so far good on the pitch and it is now about the game and what we do. We have four more games. My captain wants to be ready and this is a good signal.”
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With these four matches remaining and little jeopardy riding on their fortunes, Röhl has spoken about a desire to hand more minutes to some of the younger players in the squad and to those who have earned them from the more fringe places throughout the season. Youngster Charlie McNeill was brought off the bench in Saturday defeat to Oxford United and could feature once again.
Röhl said: “With Gab (Otegbayo), Charlie (McNeill), Olaf (Kobacki), Pierce (Charles), some other players that deserve some minutes. Charlie was really waiting for his first minutes in the home stadium and that was good for him. Hopefully now I can give him more minutes in these final games.”
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The Potters know that a home victory in front of what is set to be a record-breaking crowd at the bet365 Stadium will see them hit the 50-point mark in the Championship, a number that should see them take a big step towards second-tier safety.
Standing in their way, however, is a Wednesday side that have been excellent away from home this season, however Danny Röhl’s side find themselves hanging in mid-table mediocrity going into the final four games. The Owls’ position is a marked improvement from last season, however there is some lingering disappointment that they weren’t able to keep their play-off push alive for longer.
Robins, who is no stranger to Wednesday having played for them in the early 2000s and managed against them on 12 different occasions – five of them with Röhl as his opposite number – is looking forward to the game in Staffordshire, and feels like belief is coming back for his side.
