Defiant Garry Monk on his Owls future and reconnecting with fans after late defeat to Boro

The Wednesday boss, whose side are now on a run of just four wins in their last 23 matches, accepted there is a negative feeling from a fanbase he says his side need to reconnect with heading into next season.

The Owls head into the off-season eight points clear of the relegation places but with the threat of a points deduction still hanging over them.

Monk told The Star: “I’m not going to shy away from the negativity, I’m not going to shy away from the problems that we face. But for me, I feel a bright future.

“I know people can’t see that but I can see that journey, I can see that road and the key is to have a plan and an understanding for how to do that.

“When I can get to work and have a window and have a process to try and come in fresh then I’ll be happily judged on that.

“That’s not me trying to get out of being judged on the second half of the season, but I feel like if I can go on a new beginning, add the personnel that I think we need to add and grow the group in that way with all the things I’ve spoken about, I can see that journey and that road very clearly, even when it’s a bit foggy right now.

“That’s not manager talk of spiel, that’s genuinely how I am as a person. I feel like I have the detail and the right expertise in terms of how to deal with that.”

Monk, understood to be on a one-year rolling contract, said his conversations with the club have been positive over his future.

He said: “I want to connect something back with the fans that we’ve maybe lost a little bit, I want to put together a team they can be very proud of. And I’m determined to do that and because of the adversity and maybe the negativity surrounding it now quite rightly, I understand that, it’s not going to deter me.

“We can do the things I’ve said, we can get that transition and we can get the personnel that we need to bring here then that journey can begin.

“We have to be hugely disappointed with that second half of the season, there’s no getting away from that. I have a responsibility to that, probably the biggest of all and I understand the criticism, ultimately it will always fall on my shoulders but I’m big enough to take that and any negative feeling.

“But I can promise one thing, as I said before, I can see the bigger picture. It’s easy to say, it’s not easy to hear as a fan. They want it here and now and they deserve it right now, but I’m determined to get through those tough moments and get to a better day. I promise everyone that’s exactly what I’m aiming for.”

MORE FROM OUR WEDNESDAY WRITING TEAM

HOW IT HAPPENED: Sheffield Wednesday 1 Middlesbrough 2

Sheffield Wednesday EFL charge Q&A: Why has it taken so long and how long would an appeal take?

Could Manchester City FFP ruling help Sheffield Wednesday in EFL case?

An important message:

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news, please consider a subscription to The Star by going to thestar.co.uk/subscriptions.

The coronavirus lockdown is having a major impact on many of our local advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive. That means we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers and subscribe to our website during this crisis.

Stay safe and take care. Thank you, Alex.