Jos trusting in his Owls to take wing
JOS LUHUKAY hopes the growing trust between he and his Sheffield Wednesday players can help deliver an FA Cup win against Reading tonight.
Luhukay’s sole win in charge since replacing Carlos Carvalhal earlier this month was against Carlisle in a third-round replay, with his first two league games both ending goalless.
“We are now in the third week and we have confidence in the players,” said the former Augsburg, Hertha Berlin and Stuttgart manager.
“The trust is there and we have made some steps forward. We must raise the players to the highest levels they have; the players must have confidence and believe in themselves.”
Luhukay, up against a fellow Dutchman in Reading boss Jaap Stam, is banking on a bumper home crowd playing its full part as the Owls bid to reach the fifth round for the first time in four years.
He said: “We are at home, with our fans behind us and that will give the team a couple of per cent more in this game.
“The FA Cup is a very special competition, I enjoy cup games and I want us to make it to the next round.”
Wednesday and Reading have both struggled after reaching the Championship play-offs last term, currently lying 17th and 18th in the table.
The Royals reached the quarter-finals two years ago before losing to Crystal Palace and assistant manager Andries Ulderink is excited at the thought of another good run.
“We know how the FA Cup works and the kinds of opponents you can get,” he said. “The closer you get towards the quarter-final or semi-final, the more excited everyone gets.
“Everyone knows there are always surprises, so why not for us in the FA Cup?”
Wales defender Chris Gunter, part of the Reading side who reached the semifinals in 2015 before losing to Arsenal, said: “It is a good game for us. In the past couple of years we’ve taken the FA Cup quite seriously and had some decent runs. It’s a good chance for us to get through to the next round.
“It’s a nice one for us, it’s different from the league and we’re presented with these chances to do well..”
We have made steps forward