Wigan Athletic man makes Sheffield Wednesday scoreline admission while James McClean shout confirms pressure is on Owls

Much was made of the fact the Owls had a ‘Championship-quality’ squad last time out in a season that saw their promotion effort tripped up at the play-off stage.

Wednesday have gone again in the summer transfer window, again bringing in a number of players with experience higher up the league ladder.

There has been no secret made of the club’s continued promotion ambitions and the importance of achieving a return to the Championship at the second time of asking.

And after a 4-1 friendly humbling at Wigan Athletic on Saturday, the quality of Wednesday’s squad was touched upon by man of the match Latics man James McClean.

“On paper, they are a Championship side with the players that they have got so it was a good test,” he said.

MORE: Darren Moore admits concern over defending after Sheffield Wednesday friendly defeat at Wigan Athletic

“It was probably the closest that we are going to get to playing a Championship side in pre-season.

“There were spells where we had to be resolute in our structure, and they had a lot of the ball which is probably going to be the case at times in the Championship.

“We had to defend at times, but we also showed our threat on the break and the quality we have in the final third.

MORE: Player ratings as Sheffield Wednesday taste defeat in Wigan Athletic friendly

“When we had our chances, we took them which is obviously pleasing.

“They beat us twice last year so to record the victory over them bodes well going into the season.”

Wigan manager Leam Richardson was another to hint at the second tier capabilities of Wednesday’s squad and admitted that a 4-1 win was a little more than his side deserved as his side overcame a strong opening half hour from Wednesday and capitalised on defensive lapses to take a win into next week’s opening weekend.

MORE: A fast start, jeers and same old mistakes as Sheffield Wednesday fall to Wigan Athletic

“I thought it was a really good test,” said Richardson. “Within the pre-season schedule, it was a very close test to the challenges that are going to face us.

“On the basis of it, I felt the scoreline probably flattered us a little bit.”