Sheffield Wednesday Captain Barry Bannan Urges Takeover for Club Revival

Sheffield Wednesday’s captain, Barry Bannan, has called for a takeover of the club to initiate a revival. The team is currently struggling at the bottom of the Championship table, having been deducted 18 points this season. This penalty included 12 points for entering administration and an additional six for breaches of financial regulations.

Current Situation of Sheffield Wednesday

The English Football League (EFL) recently confirmed that no further sporting sanctions would be imposed on the club this season. Despite this, the Owls have managed to win only one of their 20 Championship matches thus far, suffering 13 defeats. With the team 29 points adrift from safety, relegation to League One appears inevitable.

Calls for Improvement

Bannan, 36, emphasized the need for the players to improve their performances, stating that blaming the management situation and point deductions can only go so far. “We’re not happy with our performances. We need to be a lot better,” he stated, urging the squad to focus on winning games.

Challenges Facing the Squad

The club has faced significant challenges this season. Key players like Josh Windass and Michael Smith departed after their contracts expired, leaving the squad thin on numbers. Additionally, stars such as Djeidi Gassama and Anthony Musaba have been sold to other teams. The upcoming Christmas fixtures present a further challenge, as the team has only a limited pool of players to draw from.

• Yan Valery and Sean Fusire will be absent due to participation in the Africa Cup of Nations.
• Manager Henrik Pedersen has indicated that only eight senior players possess Championship experience.
• The team has been forced to rely on U21 and U18 players to fill gaps in the squad.

Bannan noted the strain on the current squad, stating that the limited number of substitutions has affected performance levels. “We’re asking the same players to churn out minutes after minutes. It catches up,” he explained.

Hope for Change

Despite these difficulties, Bannan remains hopeful. He mentioned that the club received special permission to sign Liam Cooper and Nathan Redmond as free agents last month to bolster the squad. He expressed optimism for a potential takeover before the January transfer window, which could provide much-needed support. “If we want to do anything this season, we need to start winning games,” he concluded.