Sheffield Wednesday obliged to put things right, says Loovens

GLENN LOOVENS accepts that Sheffield Wednesday supporters had every right to react furiously to the Owls' lamentable opening-day display at Preston North End.
Dejected Sheffield Wednesday coach Carlos Carvalhal alongside his captain Glenn Loovens at the final whistle at Preston (Picture: Steve Ellis).Dejected Sheffield Wednesday coach Carlos Carvalhal alongside his captain Glenn Loovens at the final whistle at Preston (Picture: Steve Ellis).
Dejected Sheffield Wednesday coach Carlos Carvalhal alongside his captain Glenn Loovens at the final whistle at Preston (Picture: Steve Ellis).

An underwhelming pre-season was compounded by a rank-bad performance en route to a defeat at Deepdale in the club’s Championship opener, which prompted boos at the final whistle among many in the sell-out 5,700 away contingent.

Wednesday captain Loovens is the first to acknowledge that the Owls players are now assigned with getting back in fans’ good books in double-quick time, starting with tonight’s cup-tie with Chesterfield, while revealing that there were some angry words said in the dressing room at Preston.

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On the irate reaction from supporters at the end, Loovens said: “We understand it totally. They pay a lot of money to follow the team.

Dejected Sheffield Wednesday coach Carlos Carvalhal alongside his captain Glenn Loovens at the final whistle at Preston (Picture: Steve Ellis).Dejected Sheffield Wednesday coach Carlos Carvalhal alongside his captain Glenn Loovens at the final whistle at Preston (Picture: Steve Ellis).
Dejected Sheffield Wednesday coach Carlos Carvalhal alongside his captain Glenn Loovens at the final whistle at Preston (Picture: Steve Ellis).

“We should do better for them, not ourselves. They support us wherever we go and we have an obligation to them to put things right. There was a lot of travelling fans and we let them down. We all felt angry and were sorry for the travelling fans.

“It was a total off-day from everyone and maybe you have them once a season or once every two seasons. I can’t remember a game where we have played that badly.

“The only positive thing after that game is it can’t get any worse.

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“It is not the standard we normally play, but we have to forget about it and move on. The good thing is the next game is always close by.”

Dejected Sheffield Wednesday coach Carlos Carvalhal alongside his captain Glenn Loovens at the final whistle at Preston (Picture: Steve Ellis).Dejected Sheffield Wednesday coach Carlos Carvalhal alongside his captain Glenn Loovens at the final whistle at Preston (Picture: Steve Ellis).
Dejected Sheffield Wednesday coach Carlos Carvalhal alongside his captain Glenn Loovens at the final whistle at Preston (Picture: Steve Ellis).

The Owls were eliminated by League Two opponents in the corresponding round of the competition last August and Loovens admits he is only too aware of the banana-skin nature of tonight’s tie against near-neighbours, who will be backed by plenty of fans.

He added: “We need a win, but we cannot think it will be easy because we play a League Two side, far from it.

“I know their manager well, they will be prepared and we need to go into the game in the right frame of mind.

“We owe everyone a reaction and I am sure we will do that.”

Last six games: Sheffield Wednesday WWLDDL Chesterfield WLLLLL.

Referee: R Joyce (Cleveland).

Last time: Sheffield Wednesday 3 Chesterfield 1; October 8, 2011; League One.