'˜Not end of the world' for Sheffield Wednesday as Adam Clayton eyes Cup adventure with Middlesbrough

FEW Sheffield Wednesday players will take anything positive away from a barren FA Cup day at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium on Sunday but, for Callum McManaman, there was a touch of consolation.

The new year may be barely a week old, but the 25-year-old has already amassed more game-time than he managed in the entire first half of the season and is getting closer to optimum match fitness which can only be a boost to the Owls’ promotion quest.

After being frozen out at West Bromwich, with an ankle injury not helping his cause, the Scouse wingman has found sanctuary at Hillsborough and promise has sporadically filtered through in his two appearances so far, with expectation of plenty more to come.

On getting more game-time, McManaman, an interval substitute in the 3-0 FA Cup loss at Boro on Sunday, said: “It is what I need. I need to play to get match-fit and the more games I get and the more minutes, the better I will be.

“Getting more minutes and match fitness was good for me and I felt sharp when I got on and I am now looking forward to getting 90 minutes under my belt and feeling fresh.

“I haven’t really played past the hour-mark yet, but it shouldn’t be long until I am fully match fit.”

A meek cup exit may have been an unwelcome development for everyone of a Wednesday persuasion, but McManaman insists that it is ‘not the end of the world’ either, with league matters always taking priority for the Owls as they strive to return to the Premier League in their 150th anniversary year.

He was also unequivocal in his view that young goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith will recover quickly and learn from his unfortunate 67th-minute moment which gifted Boro a 2-0 lead and effectively settled the outcome of the tie on Teesside.

McManaman added: “He will be all right and get on with it. It is not the end of the world and you live and learn from things like that. The lads will put their arms around his shoulders.

“It was definitely never a 3-0 game. Obviously, once they got to 10 men, we were chasing the game and we were desperate and ended up being wide open and that was the risk which was worth taking, to be honest.

“I don’t think it is the end of the world. Obviously, we want to get promoted and that is the main aim, even though we wanted to win in the cup.”

After a poor EFL Cup exit to Championship opposition in Fulham in August, Boro – cajoled by a few strong interval words from coach Aitor Karanka – ensured lightning did not strike twice, with Adam Clayton believing that there is no reason why a strong cup run cannot successfully dovetail with the Teessiders’ top-flight survival quest.

The ex-Huddersfield Town and Leeds United play-maker said: “The cup competitions are a really good chance to have a bit of excitement and see where you can get.

“We were disappointed with the Fulham game when we went out of that competition and this is only chance to maybe get to Wembley and do something really exciting bar staying up.

“The team selection showed what the gaffer thinks of the tournament and he was really eager to push that it was an important game.

“We have had some good trips away in this competition and really enjoyed it since he has been here.

“He was really eager to make that point and get us going.”