Sheffield Wednesday: Honesty Danny Rohl's policy for managing squad unity

The Owls have been in the bottom three all season long and in trying to leave space for free agent signings, Lee Gregory, Jeff Hendrick, Callum Paterson and Juan Delgado were left out of the squad of players registered for the second half of the season.

But with no free agents signings forthcoming and Delgado's hip surgery effectively ending his season, the other three are set to return to the fold before the March 28 deadline for registering players for the run-in.

Managing what could have been a toxic situation has been a test for 34-year-old Rohl in his first managerial post.

"It's about being honest with the players, this is what I've always tried to do, even if it's a difficult meeting with them," he said.

"You have two ways – you can explain or look for excuses, you can say what they want to hear or you can be straight and say this is the situation, I feel as a human for you but as a manager I have to take this decision.

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"I think every human wants to have a bit of feedback or value.

"When you give them this feeling they will appreciate this much more and they go again.

"Over five months we've built a spirit.

"The players know what we demand. If I say something it means the same as when my assistant coaches say something because they know we are on one page.

"The spirit has been great to see but for this you also need the players. They have been open-minded and we are all working in one direction.

"As a team we want to move forward as a club and achieve our goals. Everybody is committing."

The Owls will return from the international break at Easter a point from Championship safety with eight games to play, although their terrible goal difference means they will realistically have to make up two points on the two teams they can pick off from a congested chasing pack.