Jamie Smith looking forward to handing the Sheffield Wednesday reins back to Darren Moore – No fresh injury news

Moore has been forced to work from home over the last couple of weeks after testing positive for Coronavirus, consequently missing three games where he had to watch the Owls’ do their thing from the comfort of his own house.

But he’s due back in on Monday as Wednesday prepare to face Swansea City on Tuesday night, and Smith admits that him not being around has been a blow for everybody at the club – himself included.

With Smith in charge, Wednesday lost 1-0 to Watford and hammered Cardiff City 5-0 before Saturday’s disappointing 4-1 defeat away at Queens Park Rangers at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.

Speaking to the media after the defeat in West London, Smith gave his thoughts on Moore’s impending return, saying, “Just having his presence back around the training ground… We’ve had him on Zoom, but obviously that’s not the same as having him there physically.

“So obviously it would be better if the gaffer was here, but these circumstances have been thrown into it - we just get on and work.

“He’s great to have around the place, and we’re looking forward to having him back around the training ground on Monday.

“He’s been in constant contact with the analysis guys on the phone throughout the game. He sends messages and I can send messages back to him.

“Everybody in the dressing room is frustrated and disappointed.”

Smith also went on to explain that there were no fresh injury concerns for the Owls after they managed to make it through the QPR game unscathed from a physical perspective, however it also seems unlikely that any injured players will return.

Moore’s assistant told The Star over the weekend that, apart from Joost van Aken and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, there are no other players getting back in contention.

Van Aken and Dele-Bashiru are back in training, but Moore said they needed ‘more volume’ in them before being able to return. Swansea City may well come too soon for that.

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