Garry Monk happy to be back working in day-to-day club environment at Sheffield Wednesday

WHEN GARRY Monk was offered the managerial job at Sheffield Wednesday, his wife Lexy is likely to have breathed a deep sigh of relief.
Sheffield Wednesday manager, Garry Monk. Picture: Scott MerryleesSheffield Wednesday manager, Garry Monk. Picture: Scott Merrylees
Sheffield Wednesday manager, Garry Monk. Picture: Scott Merrylees

After valuable family time in the summer holidays, Monk admits he was starting to get under the feet of his other half, with his re-entrance into the workplace having come at a timely juncture.

On a strange summer, Monk, sacked by Birmingham City in June, said: “It is funny, I was talking to my wife and it is the first time in 24 years that I have actually not been in a football club environment in this period of the season.

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“I was right in the school holidays and in the first three to four weeks I was the best dad in the world and three weeks after that I was like ‘when are they going back to school?’

“I think I was doing my missus’s head in!

“There has been certain interest but this has been the main one.

“As soon as I heard they wanted to speak to me and we had those discussions, it was a no-brainer.

“I am delighted the club wanted to speak to me and those talks went really well with the owner.”

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Thrilled to be at the helm at one of football’s grand old clubs, Monk says that he was alerted to the rich potential of Wednesday during his loan spell there in his playing days back in 2002-03.

Memories from that time remain to this day and will never leave him, he insists.

He said: “When you look back at playing careers, it can be a bit of a blur but there is always certain moments or parts that stand out more than others and that was definitely one part.

“Coming in here, it was a relegation battle at the time, but what a huge club. Those are the type of memories that stick with you.

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“I always remember playing Gillingham on a Tuesday night at Hillsborough and I remember coming out in the warm up and hearing the Kop end and thinking ‘wow.’

“The noise was so loud and powerful. Those type of things impact on your mind.”