'Headache, intriguing, comfort' - Sheffield Wednesday quartet set to give boss decisions to make
The international break has allowed SWFC to get some players closer to full fitness
Owls boss Henrik Pedersen could face a selection headache after the international break as players start to return from injury.
Sheffield Wednesday’s squad is back at Middlewood Road after some time off following the EFL Trophy win against Salford City last week. They are back in action in the same competition next Tuesday at home to Sunderland under-21s before the League One campaign resumes four days later at Huddersfield Town.
The extended break due to the international schedule, which forced games against Stevenage and Cambridge United to be postponed, has allowed The Owls to edge some players who were carrying injures closer to full fitness.
Most notably, Max Lowe, Sil Swinkels, Jordi Liongola and George Brown have been pictured at the training ground this week. Before the pause in club football, Pedersen said that Swinkels and Liongola were the closest to returning, while Lowe might start to be available after Huddersfield on October 10.
Lowe’s return, in particular, will pose Pedersen with a tough selection decision because of Reece James's form. Liongola’s role will also be intriguing, as the summer signing had been deployed in a wide right role before his setback, but that was before Kieran Morrison arrived. However, the versatile Liongola is thought to be able to play at full-back and on both wings.
Swinkels’ comeback will provide some comfort for Pedersen should he need to manage the minutes of the impressive Liam Cooper. Meanwhile, Pedersen says they will need to take a similar patient approach with young striker Brown, just as they did with Ernie Weaver, with the second or third week of this month a target for when he really starts to increase his work.
“I think he's a very interesting young guy,” Pedersen said of Brown. “He has been out for a long, long time. It's a little bit similar, like Ernie. Both were some of our best players before they got injured. George will need more weeks to come back again like Ernie. But he's working really, really well and really, really hard. And I'm looking forward to seeing him back again. “