Sheffield Wednesday manager issues defiant pressure response and apologises to fans

Conor Chaplin’s goal was enough to secure a 1-0 win for Ipswich Town at S6 on Saturday, but Wednesday barely laid a glove on the visitors in a game that saw them fail to even have a single shot on target.

It made it six games without a win to start the 2023/24 season, and the Spaniard apologised a number of times during his post-match interview – especially for the way in which his team went about the first half.

“I can only say sorry to the fans,” he told the media. “Today we went two steps back. We gave a good reaction second half but not enough… I don’t like what I see today. We need to try to find balance and stay 90 minutes in games. I’m very disappointed first half. We need to perform for 90 minutes and again I can only say sorry to the fans.”

Once more the team were booed off – both at half time and the final whistle – but Xisco insists that he doesn’t feel any pressure despite their current run of form.

"No,” he replied defiantly when asked. "I believe because I started here two months ago with just ten players and today it was the first game for two new, important players. The team is always in games. We need to improve situations in the final third, you need to win games, of course…

"If not then we have problems. But I don’t feel pressure about that because of the level we started at. I feel pressure about how we can improve some situations and the demands of the Championship. I understand the process. If maybe we’d taken three or four points more, then it’s better but the process is still the same."

Wednesday now turn their attentions to a big game against Middlesbrough on Tuesday night, an encounter that will see the two teams currently bottom of the third tier table battle it out for their first victory of the season.

That game is set for 8pm.