Owls pre-season preview

Here we go again, a week before the start of a brand new campaign at Hillsborough and what can we expect?

Is this team that has been playing in blue and white stripes, that have won 4 out of 7 pre-season games, scoring 16 goals along the way, really the same club that narrowly avoided the drop last time around?

It’s a very strange predicament for Wednesday’s followers at this time. Whenever things go well on the pitch, the fans begin to question if they’re being too optimistic.

And with matters off the pitch seeming to be moving in the right direction, is this a time of change at S6?

Some would say that all this would depend on whether the investment comes in. I suppose it does really. If the Geoff Sheard consortium come in with their millions, then surely things should change. But with rumours over the last few weeks being of many ex-Wednesday shareholders advising, members of fans group Wednesdayite to vote ‘no,’ is the deal going to take place?

They are always questions when discussing Sheffield Wednesday Football Club, this is a pre-seaon preview and I’ve still not wrote about matters on the pitch and just look at the number of question marks. This is just the state of mind of us Owls.

Onto, the football side of things. Manager Brian Laws has seen six players leave through the doors this summer, bringing just two in. You have to feel for Laws, whilst his rival Blackwell on the other side of the city is flashing the cash left, right and centre, Laws has only signed midfielder James O’Connor on a free from Burnley and promising Chelsea youngster Jimmy Smith on loan.

Lets take the two new recruits into consideration then.

James O’Connor.

O’Connor began his career at Stoke back in 2002-2003, picking up the Player of The Season Award. He moved to West Bromwich Albion in the summer of 2003 for a quarter of a million pounds. He, then after an impressive loan spell, signed for Burnley in 2005 for £175,000. And after being released by the club, joined the Owls on a bosman.

This, to me, seems to be an impressive CV. Having picked up a Player of The Year Award as well some impressive transfer fee’s combined with some impressive pre-season displays O’Connor seems to be a good signing.

Jimmy Smith

Smith is an impressive product of the Chelsea academy. Nowadays, it would seem hard to break into the Chelsea reserves let alone first team with Ibrhamovic and his billions. This saw Smith join Queens Park Rangers on loan back in 2006, where he scored 6 goals.

Smith, to me is an injection of pace and ambition into the Wednesday set up and seems to be a good addition also.

OK, that’s the signings and off the pitch matters done. Now the important part. The Saturday afternoon at 3pm part, the part we all pay our hundreds for. What’s going to happen on the pitch?

Strangely enough, being around the Wednesday camp with my BBC placement this summer, I have found the players and staff (Laws included) to be very relaxed and confident and the results have reflected this ‘buzz.’ But will the results be the same come August 9th?

Onto to the squad then.

The Owls back four/five are certainly up there with the best in the league. Young full-back Tommy Spurr has impressed since breaking into the first team back in April 2006 and continued this with a strong 45 appearances last season. The new Owls number 2, has certainly attracted Premier League attention and could, at only 20, be key to the Owls success. Laws two centre-backs next season have also attracted attention this summer. Youngster Mark Beevers has been strongly rumoured with Everton, and the staff at S6 have done well to secure the England Under 19s’ services for another year. Beevers will be playing alongside newly announced team captain, Richard Wood. Wood is another long serving Owl and shows great passion and determination, a characteristic seriously influenced by ex-Owl Lee Bullen. On the right side of defence Wednesday are soon to have options. That’s right, two players for the same position, a rare occurance at S6. American international, Frank Simek is expected back around the end of August and with Richard Hinds impressing in pre-season, there could be a real dilemma for the Wednesday gaffer come September.

In midfield, Wednesday also seem to be strong. There is the newly announced club captain, Steve Watson. A veteran than can certainly help the development of young midfielders Etienne Esajas and new loanee Jimmy Smith. Both are young, ambitious and lightening quick. This mixed with the strength of Jimmy Smith and youngster Sean McCallister could be a deadly combination.

The strikers at S6 this summer have been extremely impressive and surprising. This is probably the strongest dilemma for manager Laws to contemplate with. With ex-England international Francis Jeffers well on the route to recover, the Owls have a choice of five first team strikers. Leon Clarke has been very impressive in pre-season and could be used as a target man. But he is rivalled by ex-Port Vale, Akpo Sodje who was impressive until the Hillsborough injury curse got the better of the Owls number 30.In terms, of pacey strikers, there is also competition for places. Deon Burton, has also impressed netting a brace at MKDons is a threat when fit. As is ex-Blackburn Rover Francis Jeffers, when fit, which has seemed to be a phrase used too much in the strikers career, Jeffers can be the Owls 20 goal a season man. Another option for Laws is the pacey and some what acrobatic Marcus Tudgay. He prooved to be somewhat of a utility player last time around, a threat up front and a pacey right winger.

As you can see, a list of options for Laws to consider but Owls fans must live in hope that this vain remains for the duration of the campaign.

At full strength, Wednesday can compete and compete high up the table at Championship level, but as Wednesday fans know all too well, it is very rarely the case.

My prediction is that Wednesday will finish near the top of the league, on page two of the league table anyway. I believe a comfortable mid-table to 15th position should earn manager Brian Laws a lot of credit. However, a key man for me, is striker Akpo Sodje, again when fit, Sodje can set the team and league alight.

If Geoff Sheard does invest the 2008-2009 campaign should be a season to ‘establish and develop’ at S6, ahead of what is already looking to be a very important and promising 2009-2010 season.