Joe Wildsmith on Sheffield Wednesday’s possible pursuit of a new goalkeeping coach

And while Craig Gardner and Mike Trusson have effectively stepped into the coaching positions vacated by Andrew Hughes and James Beattie with the sacking of Garry Monk last month, question marks remain over the role of goalkeeping coach.

Long-time Wednesday staff member and former player Nicky Weaver has stepped up to take the club’s senior stoppers since the departure of Darryl Flahavan.

Former Premier League keeper Boaz Myhill turned down the opportunity to join the Owls staff from West Brom and there will be no reunion for Pulis and his long-time lieutenant Jonathan Gould, who has emigrated to New Zealand.

Asked the opinion of the club’s goalkeeping trio, current incumbent Joe Wildsmith said that while they would be happy with Weaver staying on in a first team role, they would have no problem in welcoming a new man.

“It’s another fresh pair of eyes to look at us and help improve us,” said the 24-year-old. “There’s no ‘oh we want him back’ or whatever, it’s football, it’s part of the job, people come and go and you have to deal with who you’re working with.

“We’ve been lucky so far to have worked with goalkeeper coaches that have come in; Rhodesy [Andy Rhodes], Weavs [Weaver], Flavs [Flahavan]. They’re all very different, but it’s a case of going in, working with them, learning what they want.”

Weaver is a popular member of the club’s coaching staff and has vast experience of coaching the trio, having done so last season. He has played a huge part in the development of Wildsmith and Cameron Dawson during his time coaching the club’s youth sides.

Wildsmith said: “Weavs is back again now for the moment, if that stays as it is then great, if somebody else comes in, that’s up to the gaffer.

“We all work hard no matter who it is and we all back each other no matter who is playing.

“It always takes a while to get used to things, but at the end of the day goalkeeping is goalkeeping, there's not too much different.”

MORE FROM OUR WEDNESDAY WRITING TEAM

Tony Pulis makes Dejphon Chansiri admission ahead of 'massive' transfer window for Sheffield Wednesday

Massimo Luongo is NOT injured: Tony Pulis explains why he took him off in Owls' defeat at Huddersfield

Garry Monk, Fernando Forestieri and Diego Maradona: What happened to Manuel Hidalgo at Sheffield Wednesday?

*

Thank you for reading this article, one of dozens we publish every single day to provide you with the best, most up-to-date and most informative coverage of YOUR club. This depth of coverage costs, so to help us maintain the high-quality reporting that you are used to from the football team at The Star, please consider taking out a subscription to our new discounted sports-only package. You'll find all the details at www.thestar.co.uk/subscriptions/sports.

Your support is much appreciated.

Chris Holt, Football Editor