"He's had a bit of a slump": Garry Monk on defender's new challenge in the Sheffield Wednesday squad

The Scotland international has not started in either of the club’s opening league matches for the first time since the 2017/18 campaign, though he has come on from the bench on both occasions.

Palmer captained the side in an impressive 90-minute display on the Wednesday right in the 2-0 win at Rochdale last week.

Asked of his contribution after the cup clash, Owls boss Monk was full of praise for the 29-year-old, but maintained there was a ‘challenge in front of him’ after what he described as ‘a bit of a slump’ at the club.

“He’s great,” Monk said, speaking to The Star. “Since day one he’s been a good pro. He’s obviously been here a long time and he’s passed that experience onto the younger lads.

“There’s competition there, in those areas he’s been working. Maybe before he’s felt a bit comfortable, maybe he knows there’s competition now, but he’s a great pro.

“He passes that on, the way he is around the lads, the way he trains, looks after himself.

“He’s one of the more senior ones in and around a younger group. That’s what we’re trying to do with the squad.”

Youngster Matt Penney has re-entered the first team fold after a loan spell in Germany last season and has started both league games out on the left, with Kadeem Harris wide right.

While Penney is one of the young players to have benefited from Palmer’s experience, it is over to the older man to force his way back in at the 22-year-old’s expense, Monk suggested.

He said: “Palms is one of the senior ones we feel can help the younger lads and at the minute that spirit is coming through in the way we’re working.

“There’s competition, we’ve tried to make that demand higher by pushing them out of the comfort zones they’ve been in before, Palms been here a long time, he’s done really, really well.

“He had a bit of a slump but now he’s ready to go again, so that’s the challenge in front of him. But as a guy and as a pro, he’s fantastic.”

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