Keiren Westwood backs 'honest' Darren Moore and confirms squad difficulty at Sheffield Wednesday

The Republic of Ireland stopper, who is out injured having damaged his ribs in the warm-up of Saturday’s derby win over Barnsley, also touched on difficulties the squad have had in adjusting to the style of play demanded by an ever-changing Owls dugout this season.

Several Wednesday players have spoken of their enjoyment in Moore’s style of play. And while Westwood admitted it’s a challenge professional footballers should be able to adapt to, he admitted the manic fixture schedule this season has made it difficult for both managers and players to adapt.

Asked before the Oakwell clash whether Moore is the man to take them back up if the side were to taste relegation, the keeper told The Star: “I don’t see why not.

“With him being hired by Mr Chansiri, he’s obviously here for the long term.

“What I would say about the gaffer is we’re obviously trying to get used to the way he wants to play. Over the course of the season we’re onto our fourth manager, this is the fourth different way of playing.

“The team is from the summer and the recruitment is from the summer, probably styled out in a way that other managers want to play.

“When a team has been set out or recruitment is in place for one manager to play a certain way, to get a new manager in who wants to play another way, the adjustment period is there and we don’t really have [time for] that.”

Elaborating on his relationship with Moore, Westwood said: “He’s honest, really honest. Whenever he says something to you that you like or if he says something to you that you don’t like, he is honest with you.

“When someone is that honest with you, you trust them, regardless of whether it’s something you want to hear or not. If you have trust you have everything in a relationship; a manager to a player, a boyfriend to a girlfriend, a brother to a sister, a mother to a daughter.

“If you don’t have that trust it’s tough.”

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