Lee Bullen says he is ready for managerial role after Sheffield Wednesday's opening day win at Reading

Bullen, now into his third stint as Owls caretaker, is still among the favourites to get the job and may see his odds tumble further after goals from Kadeem Harris, Sam Hutchinson and Lucas Joao saw them home 3-1.

He said: “It was a very good win. The first time I was caretaker we beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 and then lost the next two - so I hope that’s not an omen!

“If the chairman goes with me, then I’ll feel I am ready for it. I am very privileged to be doing it at this moment, the chairman will decide, my sole focus is now Barnsley.

“But it would be a great opportunity for anyone who was offered this job.”

Bullen admitted there was work to be done in terms of the performance, but that they were pleased to record an away win so early on in the campaign.

“The result was what you would have dreamed of, as for the performance we can do better,” the Scot said.

“Ultimately you have to give some credit to Reading, they pegged us back and we had to set some traps and hit them on the counter. That worked for us.”

An embarrassment of riches up front allowed Bullen to reshuffle his front line, bringing on goalscorer Joao and Fernando Forestieri with the minutes dwindling. Whether that glut of talent remains beyond Thursday’s transfer window remains to be seen.

He said: “We had four strikers on the bench today to change it, a couple of them adaptable. Sam Winnall didn’t even make the squad. That can be tough to keep everyone onside.

“Possibly we might have to let one or two go, but good players attract interest. It maybe isn’t ideal to have six top strikers, but a great problem to have.”

He also said that Keiren Westwood, sent off in the game’s final stages for a clash with both his own man Moses Odubajo and Reading’s Mo Barrow, insists he didn’t touch the opposing player. The club may choose to appeal the decision.