Joe Crann: Playing devil's advocate at Sheffield Wednesday amid contract confusion

Obviously, I want Garry Monk to have the strongest squad possible for these final matches. We don’t know where they might end up – for good or bad – and for that reason they need as many points on the board as we can.

In order to do that, it would help if they had everyone available, wouldn’t it?

But there are careers on the line here, and I think that’s the bigger picture that we should all be looking at. And if a player does leave after the two games this month, I think there should be a bit of understanding there from our side.

Firstly, if Wednesday players haven’t been offered anything beyond this season – as mentioned by Fernando Forestieri’s agent recently – they have to make sure that they consider the fact that whatever happens between now and the end of the season is a risk.

A short-term injury could limit their options considerably, whether they move on from Hillsborough or are offered a new deal, while a long-term one could have much graver circumstances and could see them left without wages altogether.

Each player will deal with the situation differently. We’ve seen Lyle Taylor at Charlton Athletic say he won’t be playing as he looks to what could be a career-changing move elsewhere, while Kieran Lee has agreed to play on despite being 31-years-old and out of contract in a couple of weeks.

Some will see it as a matter of pride, or a shop window, and play on, but if you were a player yourself, can you – hand on heart – say you’d risk your future when you have no guarantees of what comes next? I know I can’t.

Monk has spoken of making sure that he has players available who are in the right headspace to play, and he’ll know better than anyone who is or isn’t committed to giving everything for the shirt in these final matches. So when his first XI is revealed, that aspect has to be taken into consideration.

We can all look at this emotionally. We can talk about going out with a bang or giving fans something to remember them by, but if you’re a player who is 30+, then you’ve got one big contract left in you at best – surely we can all understand why that would be seen as risky. It’s a livelihood after all.

As for the longer term, Wednesday don’t even know what division they’re going to be in next season, so that affects them in terms of what they’re offering and affects the players in what they’re willing to accept. That’s the reality.

Come what may, Wednesday will be there next season even if some players – many of whom have been Owls for years – aren’t. And if they’re not, we say ‘Thank You’ and move on.

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Thank you, Joe.