“Always 200%” - José Semedo’s ex-Sheffield Wednesday teammates praise the player and the man as he retires

When Semedo swapped the Valley for Hillsborough back in 2011, not many would have predicted that he’d have the impact that he did at S6.

Or that, when he announced his retirement at age 38, he’d be flooded with Wednesday well wishes.

Gary Megson certainly knew what he could bring to the side, and the sort of impact he may have, but even he won’t have envisaged that just over a year after he signed that there’d hundreds of cardboard cut-outs of his face gracing the away end at Nottingham Forest.

But the Portuguese midfielder set the tone early.

From day one you could see why Megson wanted him. Why he’d persuaded him to turn down a deal at Charlton Athletic to move further north.

Semedo’s passion and commitment were clear for all to see. The way he tackled, the way he led by example, the commitment that he showed each and every single time he wore that Owl on his chest.

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“He was always consistent, always giving 200% every single game. A passionate man. He showed it in every performance, giving everything for the benefit of the club, and that’s why the fans loved him.”

They’re the words of Miguel Llera, another fabled named in modern Owls history, and together the pair embodied the spirit of the 2011/12 group as they featured heavily in promotion out of League One together.

They’d played together at Charlton, and Semedo made sure that his former teammate settled in just fine after he too travelled up the M1 to South Yorkshire – he took the time.

“Jose is a great person,” Llera told The Star. “On and off the pitch he was always looking to help everyone. When I first arrived in the UK and we played in Charlton together, he made my transition to a new country so much easier. He was always helpful, always friendly, and when you share time with him, he’s the sort of person you’ll never forget.”

He wasn’t just a good person, though, Semedo could play. Having come through the ranks at Sporting Clube de Portugal, be brought a technical and physical ability to the Wednesday midfield that was invaluable in the third tier. And a leadership that saw him named vice-captain early doors.

Llera went on to say, “He had a big voice in the changing room. Very bright, very fair, a team player. He always wanted those around him to be giving as much as he did, it’s why he was there as long as he was. If people weren’t doing that, he’d tell them.”

The tough-tackling midfielder spent six seasons at Hillsborough before departing in 2017, and came very close to seeing the side take that final big step into the Premier League in 2016.

In his last two seasons he played fewer matches, but never gave less than his all when he got the chance. Daniel Pudil, who joined after Semedo had become part of the furniture at S6, recalls what he was like in that period.

“He was such a friendly face in the group,” he told The Star. “It was so nice having somebody I could talk to as soon as I arrived in Sheffield… He’s a big legend there because he played for so many years, was the captain of the team, and helped take them back to the Championship. Everybody loved him there, not just the players, but the staff as well. A true legend.

“Even when he wasn’t playing he was always smiling, always keeping things positive. He was brilliant. He’d give everything, wanting to show that he could be involved every time the manager needed him - and it was lovely to see that. Also, for the young ones they saw how he was working and could see his attitude.”

After Wednesday’s second play-off heartbreak in 2017 the decision was made that it was time for a change, and that Semedo would be part of that. He left with 167 appearances, and two goals, to his name.

Pudil recalls his exit, and admits that it wasn’t nice to see him leave.

The former Owls defender said, “It’s always sad when somebody like José leaves a club, especially when he’d been there for so long. You could see from the fans what he meant, and for the players we lost a friend. but it’s part of football, you can come for one year or eight, but it was still sad when he left. At least we can still keep in touch, though, and see how he’s doing.”

He was 32 when he left S6, but was far from finished. He’s played 20+ games in all of the last five seasons, and 16 in 2022/23 before making the tough decision to call it a day and spend more time with his family following the devastating loss of his wife in October 2021.

He’s been doing his coaching badges for some time, but it may be that he steps away from the game completely for a little while, and it would be completely understandable.

But the hope, for anyone who’s played with him or watched him do his thing on a football pitch, is that he’s not lost to the game. Because football is better with people like José Semedo in it. He’s magic, y’know.

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