An against-all-odds qualification for this summer’s World Cup can offer Sheffield Wednesday a little ray of light in what has been a desperate season of struggle.

Pierce Charles’ Northern Ireland make the trip to Italy this week to take on the next step of their dream to qualify for a place at football’s grandest stage for the first time since 1986 - and only their fourth finals in history.

The Wednesday goalkeeper is back from injury and is expected to make his ninth appearance for his country in the New Balance Arena in Bergamo on Thursday. Should Northern Ireland upset the odds and get past the four-time world champions, who are 12th in the world rankings some 57 places ahead of Northern Ireland, they will face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final shootout for a place at the finals.

Out-on-loan Owls figure Yan Valery is expected to feature for Tunisia at the finals but an appearance for Charles would represent a huge mark of achievement for the Wednesday youth system that picked him up from Manchester City in his mid-teens.

“It would be amazing,” Pedersen said. “We have Yan. If Pierce also goes, it would be amazing that a young kid - our own kid - is at the World Cup. This year we have sold too many of the young kids. But this would also show that it's not only bad what's happened.

“It's just that Wednesday, in a very, very difficult environment, we have still made a very, very good development. And for Pierce, he can be a top, top, top goalkeeper. It will make every Wednesday fan very, very proud if he qualifies to the World Cup.”

Only six Sheffield Wednesday players have gone to a World Cup finals during their time with the club; Albert Quixall (England 1954), Peter Swan (England 1962), Ron Springett (England 1962 & 1966), Nigel Worthington (Northern Ireland 1986), John Sheridan 1990 & 1994, Roland Nilsson (Sweden 1990 & 1994).