Sheffield Wednesday v Aston Villa: Juggling act at Owls is forced on boss Luhukay due to injury crisis

For the Owls manager has not been afraid to make wholesale changes, drafting in five or six new players in their last three fixtures, as he looks to rotate his depleted squad.

The Dutchman even started Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at Millwall without a recognised striker – resting Lucas Joao and Atdhe Nuhiu, with fellow forwards Gary Hooper, Steve Fletcher, Fernando Forestieri and Jordan Rhodes all missing through injury and illness.

And Luhukay is set to ring the changes again today for the Championship visit of Aston Villa, with the injury-hit Owls missing 16 players.

He inherited most of the problems when he arrived at Hillsborough in January, forced to draft in several Academy players to field a starting XI.

The reasons behind Wednesday’s crippling injury list – which has seen arguably 10 of the club’s recognised starting XI sidelined for most of the season – are much debated.

From inadequate pre-season training, which left the squad lacking in fitness, to a tendency to rush players back too quickly after injury.

Whatever the explanation, Luhukay has to operate in the here and now.

That means rotating his squad, mainly made up of Academy youngsters and fringe players under previous boss Carlos Carvalhal.

And with a busy fixture schedule – the Owls are in the middle of a run of seven games in 21 days – Luhukay is reluctant to ask his stand-ins to play Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday.

“It is not normal to have so many players unavailable,” said Luhukay. “It’s a complex problem.

“In the short time that I have been here, I have seen a lot of things, what is making the problem. But I now must handle the situation.

“When I first came there were 12 players unavailable to me. Ten of those would normally be first XI players.

“I speak now about that situation, but I am not negative about it.

“I try every day with this team, and I am very happy with my team, the players who are here.

“The injured players I do not know. The players playing, I must help them every day, every game.”

Asked whether the players he inherited from Carvalhal were lacking in fitness, the manager diplomatically swerved the question.

“I will not explain now this situation,” he said. “I respect the situation and how it is.

“I must handle the situation now and that is what I try to do.

“My medical team, my staff and my players have worked unbelievably hard over the last six weeks.

“Today is a free day but my whole medical team is here and so are my injured players. They are being treated every day.

“They are helping them wherever possible seven days a week. All my team behind me, the medical team, the staff and the players are trying to give their best for the club.

“We are trying to get good results and I think we have progressed and have good direction. We are fighting for a better situation in the next weeks and months. We have a difficult situation and I think everyone knows that.”

Defender Jordan Thorniley has been one of several Academy youngsters to impress under Luhukay. The 21-year-old was stretchered off in the 2-1 defeat at Millwall on Tuesday night with a facial injury.

And while the defender will miss the Villa game, Luhukay said Thorniley had escaped serious injury.

“We are happy and relieved it’s not a big problem,” he said. “Jordan needs a week’s rest, and then maybe can come back to team training.

“There’s nothing broken, so we are very happy this young player in one to two weeks can come back to the team.”

Defenders Tom Lees and Joost van Aken, plus midfielders Sam Hutchinson and Barry Bannan, are also all closing in on returns over the next month.

Lees, who has been out injured with a groin problem since November, has played two Under-23 games in recent weeks, but Luhukay is refusing to rush him back. “He played last week 45 minutes, then 90 minutes on Monday, but Tom has had problems from the game,” said Luhukay.

“You must have patience when injured players come back to team training, they are not match fit. They need more training, a couple of games, then maybe they can come back to the first team.

“He has played twice with the Under-23s and is going in a good direction. (Wednesday) he couldn’t train with our team, and he is in the medical room now.

“This week, we are slowly starting Sam Hutchinson and Joost van Aken with the team training.

“But we must wait and look how they come back. We had this situation with Barry Bannan. Two weeks ago he came back for two training sessions, had a setback, and has had two weeks training alone. I am hoping, maybe next week, Barry can come back into the team training. I must wait for the medical team and doctor to give the green light.”

Wednesday return to Hillsborough today, hoping to replicate their last two home displays – a 2-0 win over high-flying Derby County and a 0-0 FA Cup draw with Premier League Swansea City.

“The mentality and character is 100 per cent,” said Luhukay. “I cannot be angry of that. It is always disappointing when you play two very good games before and you lose the game after.”

Owls striker George Hirst made a goal-scoring return – his first start of the season – yesterday in the Under-23s at Leeds United.