Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk explains change-ups as Owls look ahead to Birmingham clash

Garry Monk has explained his chop-and-change approach to turning around Sheffield Wednesday’s faltering season.
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The Owls boss has admitted a run of one win in 10 has place him under under increased pressure in the Hillsborough hotseat and has made a number of changes to the team in recent weeks.

Four changes were made to the side that lost at home to Reading on Saturday, with new signings Connor Wickham and Josh Windass dropped to the bench alongside long-serving duo Barry Bannan and Tom Lees.

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It follows a trend of changes to the Wednesday line-up since the turn of the year as Monk attempts to bolt his players into a reaction.

Senior man Sam Hutchinson and winger Kadeem Harris are two of the players to have had their pitch time reduced in recent weeks, with on-loan trio Wickham, Windass and Alessio Da Cruz being phased in after their January signings.

Asked whether he believes he has made too many changes in recent weeks, Monk said: “I have tried to change everything. Different things to cajole that reaction, that’s what you have to do, you can’t just let the cycle continue.

“If it’s not working, and you have given it a period, you have to try and do something else to get that reaction. It hasn’t worked, obviously.

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“That’s my job, it’s not through a lack of trying, or pushing, to help them get that reaction.”

Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk.Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk.
Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk.

Hutchinson and Westwood appear to have been frozen out by Monk in his attempt to build what he describes as “a successful changing room”.

He said packing his team with experienced players in his attempt to turn around their fortunes is not a move on the cards.

“I don’t think that would help, we have already tried it. That’s not helped.

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“It’s a case of not being at the level that you need, that fight for your life mentality, that need to win and strive for something a bit more.

“The effort is there, I though the effort was there today [vs Reading], but I am talking about that extra level of tenacity, which has been lacking in this period.”