Town will remain in safe hands, insists Wagner
NOT everyone at Sheffield Wednesday will look back on the past month or so with total fondness.
While the backslapping was plentiful and well deserved following Owls’ feat of winning six league matches in a row – for the first time since the winter of 1993 – to clinch a Championship playoff place for the second consecutive year, there has been frustration for one of their number.
Sam Winnall was left to cool his heels during the Owls’ outstanding run, which put a personal dampener on proceedings while his team-mates were busy being feted.
It was an obvious blow to the pride of the former Barnsley man, but, like all good professionals, he kept his head down and did the hard yards in training – and got his reward on Sunday.
The final-day game with Fulham saw the Owls elect to keep their powder dry with head coach Carlos Carvalhal making ten changes to his line-up, holding his big guns in reserve for the play-off semi-finals, which start with a first-leg ‘high noon’ trip to Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town on Sunday.
But for Winnall, the weekend events assumed plenty of importance, with his first action in 33 days being sweetened by his third goal in Wednesday colours.
With Gary Hooper set to be sidelined from semi-final participation due to a hamstring injury – and quite possibly any Wembley showpiece should the Owls get past Town – Winnall’s hopes of being involved may have increased, with the forward providing Carvalhal with a timely nudge in Sunday’s 2-1 reverse to Fulham.
Winnall said: “It has been a frustrating time not being in the squad and not playing.
“But the gaffer gave me a chance and, I would like to think that I took it a little bit in scoring a goal and putting in a good shift. a 25 per cent chance of going up, the same as fellow contenders Town, Fulham and Reading.
For his part, Winnall believes that he and his team-mates possess confidence in their ability to be the ones smiling on May 29, with any favourites tag being one that rests comfortably enough on their shoulders.
His mindset is not borne out of arrogance, but a supreme belief in the qualities that Wednesday possess, added to a strong desire to right the wrongs of Wembley last Spring and go all the way.
Winnall said: “We obviously fancy ourselves. We know we have got the quality to take us up and that is what we are going to concentrate on doing.
“We have got a hell of a lot of confidence and, before Sunday, we had won six games in a row.
“We know we can beat anyone and that is what we are going to try and do over the next two legs and, hopefully, the final.
“I believe we are the best squad and the best team in the play-offs and there is nothing to change my mind over that.
“I also think that even if we’d have been on a bad run, I would still believe in that as I believe in my team-mates, squad and the club.
“I believe that this club is going places and, hopefully, we can do that sooner rather than later, starting next Sunday.
“Huddersfield have done fantastic. Their squad and manager have done really well. They are a really good side and are going to be challenging for us.
“But we will go into the two games believing we are going to win over two legs.
“We have beaten them twice, but we are in the play-offs now and it becomes a whole different kettle of fish and it goes down to who is better on the day.
“That is something we are going to have to really focus on and work hard in training this week and prepare properly.” ANY Huddersfield Town fans concerned that they are going into the club’s biggest game for 45 years with a complete novice in goal should think again.
Joel Coleman, the 21-year-old who will deputise in the first leg of the Championship playoff semi-final with Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday for the suspended Danny Ward, is more experienced than his age and status suggests. He is certainly no glorified bench-warmer, as are some reserve goalkeepers.
Just ask Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane and Nolito, the superstars of the Manchester City line-up who failed to beat Coleman in an FA Cup fifth-round tie in February.
This was one of four clean sheets Coleman kept in his seven starts for the club.
Signed last summer after making 43 league appearances for Oldham, Coleman made his Huddersfield debut on Boxing Day in a Championship encounter with Nottingham Forest, which the Terriers won 2-1.
He then took the role of Town’s FA Cup goalkeeper at the start of the year, keeping three clean sheets in a row against Port Vale, Rochdale and, latterly, Manchester City.
Coleman conceded five in the replay with City 11 days later, which is perhaps understandable given the calibre of players he was up against.
But he was back on the cleansheet trail the following week, ensuring Aston Villa drew a blank in his second start in the league.
Coleman conceded two at Birmingham ten days ago when he was one of ten changes made in a controversial move by Wagner.
He was beaten twice by Joe Bennett on Sunday as Cardiff swept to a surprisingly comfortable 3-0 win at the John Smith’s Stadium. But the players in front of him were hardly pulling up any trees either.
Recent form of the two Yorkshire clubs who will do battle over two legs next Sunday and Wednesday might favour the Owls, as might Wednesday’s potent striking options of Steven Fletcher, Fernando Forestieri and Sam Winnall among others.
But Wagner has the utmost confidence in the man who will try to keep them out in that mouth-watering first leg at the John Smith’s Stadium.
“We have every trust and belief in Joel,” said Wagner.
“He has minutes under his belt. This is why we are relaxed.
“He has played so many games, so many good games, for us.
“He is strong in the air, not only on the line.”