Henrik Pedersen hopes Sheffield Wednesday can keep 'big potential' striker after first senior goal
It was a tough afternoon for Wednesday at Oxford United but Will Grainger’s first goal was a bright moment
Henrik Pedersen is predicting a bright future for Will Grainger after he scored his first senior Sheffield Wednesday goal and he hopes they can keep the teenager.
The boyhood Owls fan, just 17, came on in the second-half of Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Oxford United, pulling a goal back at 3-0 down, before celebrating in front of the travelling Wednesdayites. It was a wonderful moment in what was a tough afternoon at the Kassam Stadium.
Given Wednesday’s current situation and Grainger’s youth contract terms, it remains to be seen whether they can keep hold of him.
Pedersen said: “Will had a good game against Middlesbrough when he came in and I also think today he came well into the team. He worked hard and what a goal from him. I am really pleased to see this.
“Will has developed so much since last summer, especially since Christmas he has grown so much as a stronger human now. He starts to have a stronger body. It is good to see him more and more on the pitch and I really hope we can keep him for the future because he will be a big Sheffield Wednesday player.”
Pedersen also explained that the Welsh youth international has gained ‘big respect’ from the senior players and that he has ‘big potential for the future.’
He continued: “They have big respect because they see how hard he is working. When you as a young player come into the first team, you get a little bit of game practice. Then you start to have expectations. He has worked on his individual development every day for a long time. Physical, technical, tactical. And we have prepared him in the best possible way so when he starts to get game practice that he can also be a part of the team.
“He's not only playing because he's young. He's playing because he's young and he's good. And he has big potential for the future. I think Will has shown now in his last two performances that he can also be a part of it.”
Wednesday finish the season at home to West Brom next weekend.