Danny Rohl tips Sheffield Wednesday star for the "next level" | OneFootball

Wednesday will be without the Jamaican international for a couple of games now.

Danny Rohl has backed Sheffield Wednesday defender Di'Shon Bernard to play at the top level of the game following his sending off against Stoke City.

Having your full squad for this time of the year is always important. Games come thick and fast and Wednesday are not exempt from the tightly packed schedule.

They have four games in nine days between Boxing Day and the first Saturday of 2025, but they will now be without one of their key defenders for the firts two of those matches.

Bernard got sent off after picking up a second yellow card in just the 41st minute of the Owls' 2-0 win over Stoke on Saturday. The score was 0-0 at the time of the Jamaican international's dismissal, but goals from Josh Windass and Callum Paterson were enough to see Wednesday over the line and continue their outside push for the play-offs.

Danny Rohl makes top level prediction of Di'Shon Bernard

Rohl's side face Middlesbrough and Preston North End in their next couple of fixtures. Bernard's absence for those ties won't make them any easier at all, especially against Boro, who have scored three or more goals in six of their last 11 matches.

The German boss, who was being linked with a move away from Wednesday to join Premier League side Southampton, had no quarms about the referee's decision to send the 24-year-old former Manchester United youth team player off. He did tack on a prognosis about the defender's future.

"Yes, it is two yellow cards," Rohl admitted to The Star. "A red card here is two games which is hard especially with the speed of the games now (busyness of the schedule). But Dish will learn from this.

"When we speak about development and improvement, this is exactly what he must and will improve upon. I am sure it will take him to the next level, he has everything he needs for the next league."

There's some polishing to do before Di'Shon Bernard becomes Premier League-level

One of the main things that newcomers to the Premier League can often underestimate is the level of intensity and physicality that comes with the game in this country. While Bernard never made a league appearance for the Red Devils during his time with the club, he will know from his time in the Championship what would be required of him physically in the top flight.

He's certainly got most of the athletic traits that you would want in a modern defender, but the 24-year-old isn't a finished product, and nor should he be.

The good thing for Wednesday is Bernard is tied down to a new deal with the club, having agreed fresh terms over the summer. The length of his contract wasn't officially confirmed at the time, but it was reported to be a three-year deal, as per Joe Crann.

That gives them good leverage if he does turn into a top flight-quality defender in the coming seasons, but there's still a way to go to get to that point.