Tom Lees keen for Sheffield Wednesday to develop steely resolve

Centre-back Tom Lees says they need to be more “resolute” to ensure inevitable setbacks in the unforgiving Championship do not spiral into something worse.

On Christmas Eve 2019, the Owls were third but now they are only off the bottom of the table on goal difference having been dragged into a relegation battle in the second half of last season.

They have not been helped in 2020-21 by a six-point deduction for financial fair play breaches but too often the biggest problem has been that conceding a goal has gone from a disappointment to a calamity.

“Little moments of disappointment or a couple of losses we need to handle better because they soon escalate and spiral,” said Lees. “I think that’s happened a couple of times.

“This time a year ago things were going well and a couple of losses and it spiralled into the way the season finished. We started the new season pretty well again and a couple of losses we didn’t handle well.

“The good teams might lose one or two but they bounce back and go on another run. That’s something this club needs to improve because things soon seem to spiral out of control and the problems become a lot bigger.

“Part of that is being resolute. If you do concede, it doesn’t go to two, three or four.

“I don’t think we’ve been good enough over the last year when we have had setbacks.

“We’ve got a very good squad here but if you’re not clearly the best team in the league you’re going to have to have that spirit and resoluteness when things don’t go well because you’re not going to walk every game.”

Former Leeds United player Lees is out of contract at the end of the season but keen to take up by the offer of a new deal, which has also been made to Barry Bannan and Adam Reach.

“I only got my offer last week, the general outline,” said Lees. “It’s a case of finding out a bit more detail and just going through the process every contract renewal goes through.

“I’m grateful to the manager and the club for offering me a new deal and I will try and sit down with them as soon as we can once we get this busy Christmas schedule out of the way.”

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