Forget the injury list, those players have no use right now: Chris Holt's Sheffield Wednesday Column

It may be true, or simply repeated so often that it takes on an element of truth, but stories often told suggest that when players were injured, the legendary Bill Shankly and Brian Clough while in their glory-laden pomp, had no time for any of them.
Sam Hutchinson is another to have surgery this season.....Pic Steve EllisSam Hutchinson is another to have surgery this season.....Pic Steve Ellis
Sam Hutchinson is another to have surgery this season.....Pic Steve Ellis

Those who were unable to go out onto the pitch were ignored, until such time as they were off the treatment table and ready to pull on the shirt again.

It probably wouldn’t work in modern football of course, for fear of upsetting a player and getting a call from his agent.

Sam Hutchinson is another to have surgery this season.....Pic Steve EllisSam Hutchinson is another to have surgery this season.....Pic Steve Ellis
Sam Hutchinson is another to have surgery this season.....Pic Steve Ellis
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However, with the way things are going, Sheffield Wednesday head coach Carlos Carvalhal would perhaps do well to take on board this lesson from Shankly and Clough.

Or at the very least, if he’s not going to stop talking to them, stop talking about them.

Carvalhal in his pre-match press conference yesterday ahead of the visit of Wolves to Hillsborough, brought up his injury list as a contributing factor in why Wednesday are currently failing in their attempt to gain promotion in this, the boss’ third attempt.

Not only that, but he would appear to be suggesting that the return of those players would spark a rise up the table and by May we’d all be wondering what the fuss had been about.

Sam Hutchinson is another to have surgery this season.....Pic Steve EllisSam Hutchinson is another to have surgery this season.....Pic Steve Ellis
Sam Hutchinson is another to have surgery this season.....Pic Steve Ellis
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He cited Fernando Forestieri, George Boyd and Sam Hutchinson as potentially integral to a march back into form as if a lack of their name on the teamsheet along with others excused, in some way, the fact that they had won just six league games all season.

He may well be proved to be right and of course that quality is missed but until those players do come back into the fold, complaining about their absence is not going to put more points on the board.

Fans, in the main, aren’t stupid. All they can see at the minute is a coach excusing the poor form by pointing out injuries - not to mention refereeing decisions. What they aren’t seeing is a coach accepting that poor performances, invariably inflexible tactics and a sleep-inducing style of play is also bringing out their frustration.

People don’t want to hear excuses surrounding matters that there is little or no control over and no amount of complaining about referees or injuries is going to change anything.

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What can be changed though is the way in which the team play.

As things stand Forestieri, Boyd and Hutchinson and a few others for varying lengths of time, are unavailable, so put the focus on the players who will be going out there and attempting to turn this season around because aside from anything else, banging on about those injured is not going to fill with confidence those stepping in.

Crocked players are no good to you at the minute, Carlos. Forget about them until they are useful.