Caretaker boss Lee Bullen has called on the Wednesday players to “give absolutely everything” in tomorrow’s home game with Preston.
Bullen finds himself back in the manager’s chair on a temporary basis, almost exactly a year since his last caretaker role when Carlos Carvalhal left on Christmas Eve and Jos Luhukay took over a couple of weeks later.
Now, with Luhukay leaving the club on Friday after our shocking run of results since early October, Bullen steps up from his coaching role to start his latest stint in charge against Preston.
Bullen will be looking to help us to only a second win in 11 games and he told Friday’s press conference, held before confirmation that Luhukay had left the club: “This club has been a big part of my life and the fans want to see the players roll up their sleeves, stick out their chests and go out on that pitch and give absolutely everything. The players have got to be brave.”
He added: “We have to keep faith in the players. We have to keep them positive and keep encouraging them.
“When results go against you there are questions that need to be asked, of course there are.
“We all know Hillsborough can be the most wonderful place in the world when everything is going well. But it can be tough when you’re going through a hard time and you see this at all clubs.
“It’s up to us, the players and staff – we can only control the controllables.”
Bullen continued: “After that, the fans can control the atmosphere. If you go a goal down, make a bad pass then we know that can be frustrating, but if they can be as positive as possible and get right behind the players, that is so important.
“Obviously I am going to ask the fans to stay with us and make it a positive atmosphere tomorrow, but I know football and I’m not naive. It has to start with us.”
Barry Bannan misses the game as he completes his two-match suspension and Bullen confirmed that Josh Onomah, who replaced Bannan at Swansea last Saturday but was subbed at half time and criticised publicly for his lack of application by Luhukay, will be in the squad.