Alan Biggs: Sheffield Wednesday need more of the same characters for another promotion push

He chose “people” and not “players.” As in signing the “right ones” … “again.”

That last word is important too. It means the finger of blame has, quite rightly in my view, swung away from the prime targets for past failures. Namely owner Dejphon Chansiri and player recruitment.

This time it’s different and any blame, albeit harsh to apportion after a strong end to last season, lies in the dressing room.

Players, almost to a man in interviews, have accepted that responsibility, admitting that missing out on promotion is a failure in their eyes.

But, rather than condemning them by their own words, I see it as a sign of strength in their character that they have been so open and candid about high expectations.

A protective manager in Darren Moore hasn’t been quite so forthright, albeit that he himself didn’t quite manage to play a winning hand to full advantage.

The point, though, is that whatever the faults that led Wednesday to fall short, no-one is questioning the attitude and determination of any player in that group. Not a one.

That has been the big change and the reason for hope that, under Moore, the Owls have begun a journey rather than ended one.

His recruitment, via his standing and contacts in the game, has been generally good. And, to amplify Bannan’s point, he has signed good people as well as good players.

It’s a policy and practice that must be kicked on now if the Owls, possibly faced with losing some they’d like to have kept, are to close a narrow gap next time.

In the real world, Moore is unlikely to get a third run at it, so this summer’s work will be crucial. As, even more so, will be the backing Chansiri is able to deliver.

As per previous columns, while the chairman can be justly held accountable for the club finding itself in the third tier, he could not be doing more to help them climb back out of it.

Moore’s players, in turn, have given everything even if they came up short.

Maybe the manager can reflect on the first half of the season, when he struggled to find his best line-up amid much tinkering, as where it went wrong.

But another lesson was that the recruitment came late, making some of the teething troubles of a new group understandable. Hopefully newcomers can be integrated earlier this time.

And, just as importantly, the best players kept fit. Who is saying Wednesday wouldn’t have gone up automatically if the likes of Lee Gregory, Josh Windass and Massimo Luongo had played a full season?

Much to build on - with the right people.