Thankyous, patience and Netflix: Passionate Xisco speech details what he needs from Owls fans right here, right now

The Owls are very much a work in progress a week out from the start of their Championship campaign, with manager Xisco making clear it will take time for the fruits of their hard work on the training ground to take shape on the field following his late arrival to the club.

Players have described the Spaniard’s desire to deliver an attractive, attacking style of play at Hillsborough. Much-needed reinforcements to the playing staff are expected in the coming weeks.

With recently relegated Southampton first up under the lights and in front of the Sky Sports cameras next Friday, Xisco expressed the need for patience both on the pitch and in the stands.

“The fans need to understand the situation and where we are,” he said. “Right now everybody is on our side and this is a good thing.

“They need to understand that we are working hard to try and be good in the situation. If you ask me ‘Can we reduce the process?’ We will try and this is the idea.

“But everybody needs to try to help us. I need them more now. I think the club needs its fans to understand the process in the three or four weeks that is coming. When the market is closed we will see what will happen.

“Sometimes it is better [to wait for improvements] than having something for tomorrow. It’s not easy. One of the things I will try to give is better things, I prefer time.

“The season is long. I think maybe if we have a problem in these days, the next two, three, four weeks. But after the team will be better.

“What I can say is that now I need all the fans to help us in this situation. If they push us and go against the situation, also I have respect, I can say nothing, but now I need maximum, everybody together and everybody going the same way.

“After this we will try to build one team, in a short, medium or large time.”

Wednesday fans have watched on a slow start in preseason, with players and Xisco himself having made clear that it is incremental gains in learning a new playing style that counts above results in friendly matches.

Thousands travelled to Spain for goalless performances against Real Murcia and CD Eldense and packed out away allocations at York City, Chesterfield and at Doncaster Rovers.

Xisco said he had been excited by the immense following of the club in his early days in the Hillsborough hotseat and thanked them for their support in what has been a difficult summer so far.

He stressed it is this wholehearted support that he needs to see more of, even if progress on the playing front is not as rapid as some would like.

Citing a famous streaming platform, he offered an appreciation that the fast-moving modern world is not one that often facilitates patience, but rallied the supporters to get behind the team as they go about building towards success.

“All I can say to the fans now is thankyou,” he said with earnest. “Even in Spain, all of the games, they followed us.

“We gave them nothing, in this moment on the pitch, we have given them nothing. Always they give us support. Always I feel them behind us and this is very nice. It is a good experience.

“It is this experience I need; positive in our back, understanding that there are some young players playing. This is the situation. Now we need to start building this connection with the fans.

“It is now that we need more [from the fans]. When you win and win and win? No. Now is when we need more, that is what I will say. After, when we finish the season, then we can speak about it.

“Netflix blew everything because they give you it now, then watch tomorrow and tomorrow!

“I want it to improve instantly, we all do. But we need everybody going forward in this moment. I ask the fans, ‘Please help us.’ I will try to give in the future, but I think if they help us, with everybody at the club together, it makes things more simple to try to change the situation in a shorter time.”