Sheffield Wednesday legend: Steve Bruce should play Fernando Forestieri down the middle

Sheffield Wednesday icon Terry Curran says playmaker Fernando Forestieri should play as a number 10 in the Owls’ bid for promotion this season.
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The lifelong Wednesday fan, who’s wonder goal against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in 1980 ranks among the highlights of a glittering career, told Sheffield Live that he sees glimmers of his own style of play in the Argentinian-born trickster.

“He looks a really good player,” Curran said, “I saw the goal against Norwich and it was fantastic. Every time I’ve seen him play he’s done really well.

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“It all depends on the system the manager wants to play and how it works for a certain player. If a manager tells you they want you to play out wide for a purpose then that’s that.

Fernando Forestieri should play down the middle, says Terry CurranFernando Forestieri should play down the middle, says Terry Curran
Fernando Forestieri should play down the middle, says Terry Curran

“I would play him down the middle, but if you do that you don’t have the option of pumping balls up to him.

“You could play him around Steven Fletcher as a number 10, he’s intelligent enough on the ball and he’s got good feet.”

Forestieri faces the prospect of a five-match ban after he was charged by the FA for the racial abuse of Mansfield Town defender Krystian Pearce in a pre-season friendly last year – despite the fact he was found not guilty in court in March.

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But 64-year-old Curran, who went on to make a controversial move across the city to the Blades and later won a First Division championship with Everton, said he is looking forward to seeing Forestieri play under Bruce as the manager begins to put his mark on the team.

He said: “Bruce wants to play football, he’s always wanted to play football and the success he’s had at Hull, Birmingham, Sunderland – he’s had success everywhere he goes.

“You look at what happened at Aston Villa. Dean Smith has taken them up and that’s great, but it was Steve who put that team together. He deserves a lot of the credit.”