What Dominic Iorfa told Henrik Pedersen about Sheffield Wednesday youngster George Brown just came true
A dream sequence moment for George Brown proved to be the points-winner for Sheffield Wednesday at Portsmouth on Saturday - and it’s nothing a few of his teammates didn’t see coming.
The Yorkshire-born forward was a complete unknown just a few weeks ago but has risen sharply through the ranks to make his first league start at Fratton Park following tireless efforts in the Owls’ Carabao Cup run. He dovetailed beautifully with fellow starlet Bailey Cadamarteri and having brushed off the injured Connor Shaughnessy, took his time to fire the ball past Ben Killip and bag his first goal in senior football.
His confident, up-and-at-em demeanour is one that has impressed behind the scenes at Middlewood Road, with one senior defender having spoken to manager Henrik Pedersen earlier this week about his effectiveness.
“George is a fighter,” Pedersen said on his new striker. “Dominic told me in the training, he is difficult to play against. He has high elbows, he always stays strong and his mentality to be bigger than something than himself, to work to a game plan and to invest a lot when it’s not just for him, is fantastic.
“His body is strong with back to goal and he runs deep, he has a good header and good finishing. There are some interesting things in him. He has a lot to learn. The basic is that you play with your heart and give everything you have and he did this.”
Brown was joined in making a Championship line-up for the first time by the equally impressive Ernie Weaver, whose efforts in leading the young Owls in the cup were a standout highlight of the campaign so far. The teenager put on an impressive showing against handful forward Colby Bishop.
“The cup is still pressure, but then there is no pressure,” Pedersen continued. “Today there is real pressure. Today you see how Yan, how Max and Dominic support Ernie all the time. You can see how Yan and Barry and Bailey support George all the time. It’s a good example; our best player today was the team. Many good performances, but it was the team. I am proud.”
“The boys have grown so much, a lot of the young guys have grown in the cup. Ernie and George have played strong games against good opponents. But to go from the cup to the league is a huge, huge difference. To make these performances like today, nobody can do it alone, but they could do it because they have the senior players around them. The guys at the back were amazing for Ernie today. Amazing. Up front Bailey supports, he is so young but he supports George. Nobody can do anything alone. The best player today was the whole team.”