Darren Moore reveals honest man-to-man talks with misfiring Sheffield Wednesday trio

Fan focus has drifted onto the performances of Tyreeq Bakinson, Dennis Adeniran and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru particulary since midfield lynchpin George Byers fell injured earlier this month.

Handed opportunities to impress in Byers’ absence, Moore admitted midweek that the trio have failed to ‘take the bull by the horns’ in their efforts - but has backed them to make more of an impression in the coming weeks.

Asked about his handling of the trio given the tight-knit nature of Wednesday’s squad and the fact they might be asked to play a big part in the season run-in, Moore said: “It’s not a case of ‘they might be’ - they will be important to us between now and the end of the season.

“We’re very honest here with our approach. All thre players have identified that they probably didn’t play to their potential when given the opportunity to step in. We pride ourselves on performance.”

Moore went on to reveal honest talks with each of the trio, getting his message across that each player will be expected to hit the ground running with more fluency in future battles.

Dele-Bashiru is 22 and the other pair 24 - and the Owls boss believes the burn of the spotlight in recent days can serve as a learning curve going for the trio forward.

Moore said: “What I have said to all three players, who are all relatively young in the game still, is that they can learn from the opportunities that have been given and the fact they’ve not grasped the opportunity when they have arrived.

“I said to them that we don’t get to choose when and where we get to play. When they do, they have to perform.

“It’s a learning curve for the three of them. But it’s about being ready for the next one. The next game is tomorrow.

“It’s about educating them about learning the importance of performing when we need them to. They’ve come in and they’ve not gone about it in the manner and the games have not gone as we might expect it, but it’s expected that when we do put them back in, there’s a better showing.”

Asked of the mentality of the three players, Moore shrugged off any notion of ‘sulking’ and making clear the self-policing of the Owls dressing room would never allow for anything of the kind.

“The mentality is where it is,” he said. “It doesn’t have to get to me, we have enough seniors in the changing room that can sort it. The culture and mentality here with them is spot on.

“They’re three great lads, they are excellent players and with the ability they have got, they have so much more to give.”