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Gone... but
not forgotten
RICHARD Wood has claimed that he was "gutted" over his departure from Hillsborough.
The Coventry new boy has also revealed that he still has a soft spot for the Owls and is already looking forward to playing against them when they visit the Ricoh Arena on March 27.
“Wednesday are a massive club and I have got great admiration for them,” he said.
“I have been there all my life and I supported the club throughout that time as well, and I still will do.
“But things move on in football and players come and go and everyone has got to deal with that. It happens every day and it is a new challenge to me now.
“I did want to stay. I had been in contract negotiations with them for a long time. Obviously they broke down and they wanted to get me out, which I understand.”
Wood was criticised by the Owls for refusing to budge on his contract demands, and the club felt they had no alternative but to get what they could for him as soon as possible, rather than lose him on a free next summer.
“The first thing I looked at was when we play Wednesday again and I will look forward to that,” he said.
The 24-year-old centre -half began his loan spell at the Sky Blues with a full game in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace and will fetch a 500,000 fee when a full transfer is completed in January.
Wood comes from Leeds, and the move meant him uprooting his family for the first time.
“It is just one of those things that has got to happen. You have got to move wherever to keep your career going,” he said.
“My girlfriend and my little boy have got to come with me whether they like it or not.
“I have got to look after my career because it is only short, so I will go wherever, and once I have finished playing I can move back up north or wherever I choose to live.
“I followed Leeds until I went to Sheffield aged 11 and was watching Paolo Di Canio and Benito Carbone, who were a joy to watch, and ever since I have supported Wednesday. They’re a lovely club.”
Coventry have the same number of points as the Owls and are 18th, a place behind them on goal difference.
Wood added: “We have a young squad here and there is a lot of potential. Hopefully the management team can bring us all on and we can make our way up the table.
“There is a lot of hard work to be done on my part and the lads as well, but we know it can be done.
“I see myself as a bit more experienced than most of them as well, having played a lot of games at this level.”
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
