Exclusive:Why Sheffield Wednesday behind-closed-doors match was cancelled and what Owls did instead
Sheffield Wednesday’s international break continues.
Sheffield Wednesday have rolled with a change to their international break programme after a planned behind-closed-doors friendly run-out was cancelled by their opposition, The Star understands.
The Owls were scheduled to play a struggling Championship side this week but were unable to do so, with the opposition apologetically pulling out for their own reasons, which are believed to be based on the load management of their own squad. In what is an extended double-break of three weeks without league football, it’s understood that Wednesday got their match practice in regardless and instead staged an in-house game between themselves on Thursday.
Henrik Pedersen’s side take on Sunderland’s under-21 side in the Jersey Mike’s Trophy on Tuesday evening and it could stand to reason that more senior players are chosen to take part in the clash after the friendly run-out was called off. A number of first team players featured in the opening round win at Salford City last week. Their next League One outing comes at fellow challengers Huddersfield Town next weekend, October 10.
Different views have been taken among managers with regard to whether or not the extended international break is a help or hindrance to sides at this stage of the season. The rearrangement of Owls matches at Stevenage and at home to Cambridge United have meant key figures will be closer to fitness and could feature in those matches, though both are to be played in midweek taking time away from recovery and training.
The likes of Max Lowe, Sil Swinkels and Jordi Liongola are among those expected to have made further strides on their recoveries, though on last comment the Owls boss didn’t expect they would feature at Huddersfield. The break has given fan favourite Di’Shon Bernard an extended period as he enters the final stages of his recovery to full match fitness after a long-term absence with a knee injury.
On a FIFA decision made heading into this season, Pedersen said: “I think it’s way too long. I think it’s not the right thing to take three weeks without games. I would much more prefer a normal system and then we get a rhythm again instead of having a season with so many games and then we don’t have games for three weeks. I don’t think it’s the right way to do it.
“We should have the squad for this (a potential fixture pile-up in the months to come), but I don’t think for football it’s...I would personally rather have the normal way to do it so we don’t have so long breaks without games.”
In terms of first team figures, Wednesday have been without Harry Gray (England u19s), Kieran Morrison (Northern Ireland), Sean Fusire (Zimbabwe) and Ali Al-Hamadi (Iraq) for the break, with all set to return next week. Al-Hamadi was withdrawn from the Iraq squad for an ankle issue, with any seriousness not yet known.