Danny Rohl on Sheffield Wednesday teenager's difficult first Championship start: "To create values for the next young players you have to put him into the cold water a little bit'

Danny Rohl says Sheffield Wednesday cannot be "scared" to throw in a young player even if occasionally they might have the odd difficult day.

With Di'Shon Bernard suspended, Michael Ihiekwe and Liam Palmer ill and Akin Famewo injured, Rohl handed Gabriel Otegbayo his first Championship start at Middlesbrough on Boxing Day.

Notwithstanding those absentees, the Owls could still have avoided trusting a 19-year-old at the heart of their three-man defence. The super-versatile Callum Paterson was on the bench, as was Pol Valentin, who could have allowed Yan Valery to move inside one. Equally, they could have started with the back four they changed to midway through the first half.

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As it turned out, Otegbayo had a difficult afternoon against a Boro side who were on top of their attacking game in the first 45 minutes. His half-time substitution led to a reshuffle which earnt his side a 3-3 draw.

But one bad game does not make a bad player, and Otegbayo had already shown in League Cup starts at League One Blackpool and more pertinently Premier League Brentford that he is not that.

So whilst the teenager might or might not find himself out of the side at Preston North End on Sunday it will not be the end of his senior Owls career, or of Rohl giving opportunities to his talented youngsters.

"He started against Brentford, he was outstanding, and he came in against Norwich and Stoke (as a substitute)," said Rohl, himself trusted at a young age after being made Owls manager as a 34-year-old in 2023. "That was the reason I was very convinced he can play at this level.

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"He will take something from this (Middlesbrough) game, he will learn. We stick together.

DIFFICULT DAY: Sheffield Wednesday's Gabriel Otegbayo struggled on his first Championship start, at MiddlesbroughDIFFICULT DAY: Sheffield Wednesday's Gabriel Otegbayo struggled on his first Championship start, at Middlesbrough
DIFFICULT DAY: Sheffield Wednesday's Gabriel Otegbayo struggled on his first Championship start, at Middlesbrough

"If you want to improve and develop young players you have to give them the opportunity. Otherwise you can speak about wanting to improve players but if you are scared and you're not doing this (you cannot do it).

"Sometimes it's not the best performance from a young player but I think this is normal and to create values for the next young players you have to put him into the cold water a little bit.

"This is okay and we will learn as a team.

"Everyone in the team said to him, 'Come on, we go again,' and this is great to see."

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