"Difficult circumstances" - Sheffield Wednesday transfer recruitment claim made | OneFootball

Football League World's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit offers a positive assessment on the club's transfer recruitment team

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Sheffield Wednesday are striving to endure a more comfortable end to the Championship season this time around after avoiding relegation by just three points last term.

And just under halfway through the second-tier campaign, many of the Owls' results have shown that they are likely to land a mid-table spot, as they have enjoyed notable wins, such as a 2-0 victory over play-off chasers Norwich City last month, but have also endured more damaging results, such as a 6-2 home defeat at the hands of Watford.

Meanwhile, the Owls were relatively busy during the transfer window last summer, and signed the likes of young midfielder Shea Charles on loan from Southampton, as well as striker Ike Ugbo on a permanent deal from French Ligue 2 outfit Troyes after he impressed on loan at Hillsborough last season.

Football League World asked our Wednesday fan pundit, Patrick McKenna, if he rated his club's transfer recruitment team, and if he thinks they are identifying talent well enough.

Owls fan pundit makes positive assessment on transfer recruitment team

Patrick said: "In regards to our club's transfer recruitment team, it has to be stated and understood that they do work in difficult circumstances under a tight budget compared to a lot of teams in the league, so they have to really do their research, and possibly be on the lookout for up-and-coming players, and have to take punts on players.

"Where, if it's a club who've got more funds available, players are more easily identified.

"But our recruitment team, they do consistently have their work cut out, and if you look at their success record, it has been pretty good.

"Last season, certainly, the loan signings of the likes of Ugbo, (Ian) Poveda and James Beadle were really, really successful and helped towards our survival.

"And then, this season, getting in Shea Charles as well, again another very good addition who has worked out, and then I suppose you look at someone like (Svante) Ingelsson, who I think falls under that scenario where they have to really research and take a bit of a risk, I think.

"They are in the situation where a lot of the signings will be risk signings which will work out, or they won't.

"But there's really not many signings you could look at and say 'Yep they've done badly', and you could give a lot of criticism towards it.

"The outlier is Ugbo, but that's just real hindsight, nobody (would have) seen the unsuccessful season he's had so far coming.

"So, no, I think the team overall are doing a good job in difficult circumstances, and, of course, they are working at a club with very unstable leadership as well.

"So yeah, it's generally a thumbs up, and hopefully, they can continue on in future transfer windows, identifying players who come in (and) make a difference, and hopefully we can make a profit on in the future."

Ugbo's permanent transfer has been a failure so far

Patrick is right to point out that while additions such as Charles and Ingelsson have bolstered Danny Rohl's ranks, the same could not be said of Ugbo since he signed permanent terms with the South Yorkshire club last summer.

Last season, Ugbo proved to be a fantastic addition on loan, as he scored seven goals in 18 Championship appearances, which spearheaded the Owls away from the relegation zone.

Supporters will have, therefore, been excited about what the striker would be able to do after joining the club on a permanent basis, but he has thus far struggled in front of goal, and has been unable to display any of the promise he showed during the latter half of last season.

But as Patrick also alluded to, Ugbo's poor form this season has been a surprise, and not something that Wednesday's transfer recruitment team can be blamed for.