Megson urges Owls to show ambition in transfer window

The Owls dropped to fourth in the table after losing to leaders Charlton Athletic last weekend and have been unable to keep Stoke City winger Ben Marshall on loan.

Megson issued a stark warning last night saying it was impossible to ‘win a Formula 1 race with a Skoda.’

The Owls, who host Hartlepool United tomorrow, have parted company with six players this month but Bury winger Mike Jones has been the only new addition.

Defender Mark Beevers is back from a loan spell with MK Dons and loans involving Derby County goalkeeper Stephen Bywater and Blackpool defender Miguel Llera have been turned into permanent deals.

Megson said: “I would not be happy if the window closed today. Over the last two-and-a-half weeks, Mark Beevers has come back, Stephen and Miguel have come in, and Mike Jones – but we have lost James Tavernier, Sanchez Watt, Ben Marshall, James O’Connor, Giles Coke, and Mark Reynolds. Quite a lot have gone the other way.

“If this was just a normal run-of-the-mill First Division club you would say ‘Fine, I’ll just poodle along and hope we can do OK’ but other people suggest that you have got to get this place promoted. It’s like saying ‘I want to win a Formula 1 race but you ain’t gonna win it with a Skoda!’ You have got to have a car that is capable of getting round.”

Megson confirmed that he is still ‘massively interested’ in bringing Marshall back to Hillsborough and is also looking for a creative midfield player.

Stoke, however, want around £500,000 for Marshall and also appear unwilling to allow him back out on loan.

“I would love Ben to be at the football club but I don’t get involved in that (the negotiations), I don’t deal with the finance, I just recommend players,” Megson said. “It’s something I am desperate to do. Every player has a price and I would imagine Ben would be available to buy if someone comes up with the right amount of money.

“I know there are five other clubs interested in Division One and, I am led to believe, there are two in the Championship. The kid came here and had a fantastic loan spell. He scored five goals in 20 games and made 12. He was arguably our best player so we would really love to do it. Like all young players, he had peaks and troughs but, overall, he did a fantastic job and would be a big loss to anyone.”

Megson revealed that he has failed in moves for five alternative loan signings since Marshall returned to the Potteries on Monday.

Reflecting on his strengthening this season, he said: “Wednesday was never going to go from where it was 12 months ago to being world beaters. It is always going to be a job in progress. It didn’t even have a scouting system in Yorkshire until we got here. It’s now got five (scouts).

“But we need to know what we are bringing in. You can’t be taking chances,” he stressed. “All it needs is to bring in one or two who don’t work out and all of a sudden you are out of the picture.”

Megson, meanwhile, says there is no truth in rumours of a deal for Queen’s Park striker Jamie Longworth.