"Now we have nine finals" Sheffield Wednesday can now go for it with Sheffield United up next

At the start, it felt like classic expectation management, a ploy to calm the growing expectation of post-Christmas play-off chatter. But as the weeks went on and a tough-looking fixture card proved exactly that, it became more prophetic. Röhl began speaking about limits to his squad and recoiled at any mention of the top six. That 50-point tally was one he returned to again and again.

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Six points in four days has ticked it off. Wednesday’s remarkable comeback win at Norwich City took them to a total of 51 points and five short of play-off places that had felt out of reach heading into their trip down south to Plymouth and Norfolk via Berkshire. The task remains tall, but speaking to The Star in the minutes after their Carrow Road comeback, there was suddenly a freedom to the way he spoke. Why not?

“Hopefully it's the next three points and the next game,” he said when asked ‘what’s next’ now that the 50-point hurdle had been leapt. “Of course we have now our small goal - to get 50 points as soon as possible. Some people smiled a little bit when I spoke of this but I know where we were last year, to be now in this situation with a group that has developed together, improved together.

“It is for me outstanding, this is an outstanding performance from my players. The reason I love my players is that they have a strong mentality. They never give up. They never complain about things - and there are sometimes things we could have a discussion on. But we go again and again.”

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Sunday sees Sheffield United make their first visit to Hillsborough since March 2019 and Röhl was in no mood to engage in any mind games ahead of the clash. What he did concede is that Wednesday are in a unique position, describing their remaining fixtures as ‘finals’ to go into with no fear. Anything, he said, is possible.

He said: “We have 51 points, which means we are safe, I think. Now we have nine finals. We must now take every final step by step. Then we will see in which direction our journey goes. In this league everything is possible, if you can create a momentum you can have a run. But the next three points are important.”

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