Shea Charles makes Sheffield Wednesday admission amid positional shifts

Charles has been a standout performer for the Owls this season, playing a huge part in their climb up the table last year and becoming a firm fan favourite at Hillsborough along the way. The 32-year-old has been almost ever-present under Danny Röhl since his arrival on loan from Southampton, and it’s hard to see how that changes between now and the end of the season.

But it’s not been as straightforward as coming in, doing his job in the midfield and taking the plaudits... Röhl has spoken about how nice it is to have a player like Charles on the pitch because of the versatility that he offers, meaning the German can switch things up tactically without having to make a substitution.

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Or, in the case of the game against Sunderland, he can be used as an extra defender when the team’s centre back options have been depleted. Charles was asked to drop back into a three when Max Lowe had to go off on Friday night, and once again acquitted himself well. It’ll come as no surprise that it’s not a position the former Manchester City man is new to, and he’s happy to have the trust of his manager to play there.

“It is a great feeling,” he admitted in an interview with The Star earlier this year. “I used to play at the back, and I’ve played in different parts of midfield, so moving about is not really a problem for me. I’d never complain about having to change position, it’s all about what’s best for the team and I’m happy to do it…

“As a modern day midfielder it’s important for us to do both sides of the game, especially if you’re playing in a two - like with me and Baz. You’ve got to get forward but also get back and defend as well. That’s the main thing, being able to do both sides of the game.

“It’s something that I feel I’ve really improved on this year, the offensive side, which I’m really happy about… I want to be able to attack and create chances, but then also defend the box and help out the back four or back five as well."

The hope is that the injury to Lowe isn’t a serious one, and that - with Dominic Iorfa on the brink of a return - Wednesday will have more options defensively for the final push in the Championship, but if not then Charles has no issues stepping in when needed. It’s not hard to see why he’s become so integral, so well-liked at S6 - and he’ll be desperate to try and end the season on a high note.

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