Danny Röhl lays down fresh challenge to Sheffield Wednesday squad after big transfer turnover

Danny Röhl has set out a fresh challenge to those in his Sheffield Wednesday changing room after his side fell to a 2-0 defeat at home to Yorkshire rivals Leeds United. Goals for big-money internationals Brendan Aaronson and Dan James did the business for the Whites, who were well in control of the match at S6.

It takes the Owls to back-to-back Championship defeats following an expectation-building opening day win against Plymouth Argyle and having overseen a transfer turnover that saw big personalities move in and out of the club this summer, the German boss is hoping to see a bit-between-the-teeth reaction from his new squad heading into another busy week.

Röhl has spoken about the need for patience at Wednesday as the side go through the process of building a new style of play with a number of new faces. Asked whether he is satisfied with where they are at this early stage of the process, he suggested the time for an appraisal was not yet here, preferring to look towards the international break in September. The strength of Leeds, he suggested, was the most telling factor in the Owls’ 2-0 defeat.

Röhl told The Star, “It makes no sense to make a summary today and look back.” Naturally, we will reflect on the first six games and the lessons we learned over the international break. Today’s match pitted a side very nearly in the Premier League against another very nearly in League One. You can see that they are still a strong team and that they will compete for promotion even though they lost certain players.

Röhl is hoping to see the same kind of tenacity that kept S6 out of relegation last season despite numerous personnel changes within the playing group. Two losses will elicit a different reaction from a new group of people, and he will be keenly monitoring how they spend the following several days.

“We have changed some players, so this group has to grow together and find our own way. In the process, we are learning a lot about the characters in the changing room and how they respond, operate, and handle some disappointing moments,” he continued. The following few weeks are a process.