If Sheffield Wednesday's players are feeling sorry for themselves going into Saturday's Championship visit of Millwall, at least it is better than getting punched in the face for a living.

This week they were given a fresh spin on their troubles by former boxers Anthony Crolla and Johnny Nelson, the Sheffielder who made the transition from longest-reigning cruiserweight world champion of all time to highly-respected pundit.

Both were able to teach them a thing or two about coming back from difficult situations.

"(They talked about how) when nobody believes in you that you believe in yourself," says Owls manager Henrik Pedersen.

"They had fantastic careers, but also some very difficult periods and how they both came back from very difficult situations was a good inspiration for all the players.

"They were both really good.

"Johnny lost three or four of his first amateur fights and a lot in the beginning as a professional career.

"But to keep this belief when things are most difficult, to keep your head up when things are most difficult, to keep your smile so you can keep your heart open so you can be fresh every day, I think it was a good inspiration for the boys."

SETBACKS: Former Sheffield boxer Johnny Nelson (Image: Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images)

placeholder image — SETBACKS: Former Sheffield boxer Johnny Nelson (Image: Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images)

In truth, if Pedersen was coaching boxers now, the only humane thing would be to throw the towel in, with the Owls on minus seven points after 31 games, 39 adrift of safety.

But the punishment Pedersen's footballers are being put through is not especially physical, more mental. The Dane says he has been wary since he became manager in July of protecting them from that.

"We have been in front of the situation," he says. "It has been a big theme from day one.

"Who do we want to be? Who do we not want to be? Who do we want to be individually? Also as a team.

ADVICE: Anthony Crolla (Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

"Now we are starting to be much stronger. We can have five very difficult periods but we are working back into the game again.

"We have a lot of individual meetings about self-knowledge. If you don't have a big self-knowledge it is difficult to see yourself from a distance and when you have a difficult period it is the old pattern (of behaviour) that just takes over.

"If you know what is your strength, what is your challenge, it is easier to keep a higher level.

"We have done a lot to keep as high a level as possible. That does not mean that all the game has been good and stable but the performance level has been much stronger.

"We cannot always play well but we can always give 100 per cent."