Darren to Xisco to Danny – Josh Windass talks managerial changes at Sheffield Wednesday

The Owls’ ranks spent over two years playing the Darren Moore way before his surprise departure over the summer, and his departure meant a complete change in terms of how they would play as Xisco took the reins with a whole host of new signings.

Now, after the arrival of Danny Röhl, it’s all change once again. The changing of managers is part and parcel of the job for footballers, but Josh Windass admits that it takes some getting used to – that being said, he’s excited about his new boss.

“They’re all completely different,” Windass told The Star. “Darren and Xisco were totally different, and Danny is different to both of them again. It takes an intelligent footballer because you get put in different positions on the pitch, and get given different instructions. So you’ve got to take that on board first and foremost. When you’re on the pitch, that’s when you have to deliver your individual quality in those areas that you get put in.

“In the last 10 games or so we’ve not attacked as much as I’d have liked personally, because I’m an attacker and want to score goals, but I’m disappointed in how - myself included - the players played for the last manager.

“I don’t like to see a manager get shouted at, or get the stick he was getting, when I don’t think most of it was his fault. I think the players needed to perform a lot better for him. But that’s gone now.

“The new manager has come in with brilliant ideas and you can tell he’s a top coach - I hope we can all translate the performances that he’s preparing us to give.”

The Owls attacker also praised the work that Röhl has done in his short time at Middlewood Road so far – saying that he’s demanding a lot from the group of players in his early days at S6.

“It’s been a very good few days,” Windass went on to say. “Very intense, very tough. On the manager’s first day he showed us a presentation of what he wants us to do and how he wants us to do things… He has said there is no time to waste which is true.

“I have really enjoyed these few days, he is a young coach with an excellent background and I’m looking forward to working with him. He looks like a top, top coach. He has worked with elite players, put a lot of demands on us, given us a lot of instruction and the boys are enjoying it… We know his core principles and what is non-negotiable.”

Windass is back from injury after a bad dead leg – made worse by playing against Swansea City – kept him out of the last three Championship games, and he’ll be desperate to get off to a good start if given the chance against Watford at Vicarage Road.