Why Sheffield Wednesday brought in Andrew Hughes after Sheffield United stint

But if Andrew Hughes was a name relatively unknown to those around the Owls before, he’s certainly placed his mark on proceedings since.

The Owls first-team coach, whose passionate and vocal coaching style has been a constant feature of the club’s impressive start to the season, left a job coaching Sheffield United’s under-23s and joined Wednesday last month.

Beattie and Flahavan had worked with Monk at a number of his previous clubs and asked to expand on his relationship with Hughes, the Owls boss explained to The Star that it was a matter of trust and compatibility, having known him for many years.

The two, he said, have similar outlooks on coaching and Hughes brings with him a personality that suits what Monk is trying to achieve.

“I’ve known Hughesy for years,” he said. “From back in our playing days, we’d always speak to each other after games, during games – a few arguments during games!

“I’ve always had that respect for him and as he’s gone into his coaching career and I’ve gone into mine, we’ve always kept in contact.

“We’d always have discussions about things and over the last year or so we caught up quite a few times and always talked about coaching and things like that.”

Hughes was captain of the Leeds United side that overcame a 15-point deduction to reach the League One playoff final back in the 2007/08 season. Speaking ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Watford, Monk admitted that that experience was also a factor in bringing him into a coaching group that has also previously dealt with such a challenge.

“I remind him every day of that,” he said in one of the press conference’s lighter moments. “We won the league that year, Swansea.

“They had 15 points taken off them and we got to the last day of the season, we’d already won the league but we wanted to finish 16 points ahead of them.

“We were like animals. Last game of the season, smashing into tackles. They were looking at us like ‘what are you doing?’ It was a joke, we were the loudest team ever.

“I’m glad now! As I always say to Hughesy, he can never turn around to me and say he would’ve won the league if they hadn’t had it [the points deduction].”

Several Wednesday players have commented on the positive new feel the new-look coaching staff and while Monk once again praised the efforts of outgoing pair Lee Bullen and Nicky Weaver, he reiterated the need to get his own men in.

“I knew the type of lad he is and the expertise he brings, so when the opportunity arose, I wanted to being him in,” Monk said.

“He wasn’t coming in cold, he knew exactly how I wanted work, my ideas and things. We had many discussions about that prior to working with each other.

“I knew his character and what he’d bring, he demands high standards.

“You can see, he’s enthusiastic, he’s passionate with it, as are all of us.”

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