Hard work or faith in Garry Monk not lacking among Sheffield Wednesday squad

KEEP THE FAITH: Sheffield Wednesday's Adam Reach (left) with manager Garry Monk, right. Picture: Gareth Fuller/PA

The Owls won only two of their 12 league games before football went on hold for the coronavirus pandemic, dragging them from third to 15th in the Championship.

Inevitably, questions were asked about Monk, but winger Reach believes the 41-year-old’s “eye for detail” will improve his players given time.

“I can’t put my finger on it but it’s definitely not that players have downed tools or lost belief in the manager,” he said.

FROZEN OUT: Sheffield Wednesday midfielder, Sam Hutchinson. Picture: Steve Ellis.

“Dips in form are part of the game but it’s been a considerable dip in form. We find ourselves in mid-table but there are still nine games left and if we get the chance to finish the season, who knows what can happen? It’s going to be a very level playing field.”

Reach is impressed by Monk, who took over at Hillsborough in September.

“His attention to details is something I’ve not seen in many managers,” he commented. “He might change something by two per cent but if we find six or seven of them it’s going to make us a much better team.

“I think he’s made us more tactically aware, certainly me, and I think he will improve any player given time.

“It takes weeks of training and preparation because you can’t do that when you’re playing Saturday-Tuesday each week.

“You can see he loves football and he’s always trying to improve the players and himself.”

Monk has frozen out Keiren Westwood, Sam Hutchinson and David Bates but Reach says the suggestion players have not given their all in 2020 is also wide of the mark.

“It hurts when people accuse the players of downing tools,” he conceded. “Players lose belief in themselves when form dips but it’s not losing belief in the manager. That’s just something fans and the media jump on sometimes.

“Different personalities click and clash when you’ve got 25 men all wanting to play. There are always going to be differences of opinion.

“We’re really happy with what Garry’s doing.

“We tend to say this every summer, but it’s going to be a big personnel shift when you’ve got a manager with fresh ideas. He’s shown how tactically sound he is and the ideas he brings across, so I think if he gets a whole summer to put those ideas into practice, we should be stronger for it next season.”