Barry Bannan expands on Danny Röhl claim, discusses Sheffield Wednesday role

The German coach has gone a long way to rescuing a season many thought was doomed for an abject relegation when he walked into the club in October, with weekly player media call returning unanimous glowing reviews for the approach taken by their manager and his coaching staff.

No review has been more glowing than that of club captain Barry Bannan, however, who as early as November described Röhl as 'the best manager he's ever worked with'. It's a claim that caught the ear considering the profile of some of the managers the Scot has worked with across his career - and it's one he didn't make lightly. Months on he stands by it whole-heartedly.

"Looking back at Gerard Houllier, Gordon Strachan and people like that, the fact is the game has evolved a bit since then," Bannan told The Star last month. "This is why coaches now have different ideas, there are sports scientists that look over running data and stuff like that. It is almost computerised almost, everybody looks at things statistically and it's not just about going out on the pitch and playing.

"When I was coming through at Villa it was maybe more simple training, where now it's more tactical and these coaches are having to do a lot more than coaches in days gone by. I'm learning something new every day at the age of 34. These guys are blowing me away with how good they are as coaches and as a manager."

At 34, Bannan has taken on a fresh set of instructions under his new manager, the eighth permanent boss of his Wednesday career since arriving at S6 in 2015. Röhl's appointment has given him a fresh skip in his step and he remains the central cog in how Wednesday go about things. It is hoped the injury he sustained at Ipswich Town last weekend will not be too difficult to navigate.

He continued: "I want to continue getting better as a player and with these coaches, high intensity and that, I can still do that. I am improving as a player listening to these people. Sometimes you can get to 34 and think 'Well I'm 34 now, I'm not going to get any better', but these have changed that mindset with me and they can improve me and the other lads in the team.

"With Xisco and Darren Moore I was playing a bit different. The gaffer wants more energy from me, more high intensity like the rest of the team. That's how he wants it and so I'm doing more running than maybe I have done in the last couple of seasons but I've always been one who wants to graft anyway.

"The role has changed a little more on the ball as well, tactically. I'm not following the ball going here, there and everywhere and I think it's more positional. That gives you a bit more energy to last the whole game."