Sheffield Wednesday defender lays down gauntlet after Owls fall to Barnsley

The Owls were beaten 2-0 by the Tykes on Saturday thanks to goals from Devante Cole and James Norwood, with Darren Moore saying after the game how disappointed he was with their performance on the day.

Ihiekwe, who started the game, voiced his own concerns after the game, and also admitted that the fact it was a local derby in front of almost 28,000 fans made it even worse.

Speaking to The Star, the experienced defender said, “It’s a derby day, you want to send your fans home happy… Of course you want to win the game, that goes without saying, but these derbies are massive for bragging rights for the fans. So we’re obviously disappointed. We’ll look to put it right next week.”

Meanwhile, in terms of his own levels, Ihiekwe insists that he’s got a lot more to learn – and thinks Hillsborough is the place for him to do that.

“There are different ways of playing football,” he said. “And every manager sees it differently - I’ve enjoyed it, but I can kick on and I think I can improve.

“I don’t want to rest on my laurels, I want to keep on improving as years go by. I’ve enjoyed the start, being here at this massive club.

“The fans want success, the team wants success - so that’s what we’re aiming for.”

Wednesday face Plymouth Argyle this weekend as they seek a return to winning ways, and they’ll be eager to put the disappointment of Barnsley behind them.

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