Behind the scenes of Dave Challinor’s first training session as Sheffield Wednesday boss

I've covered a lot of managerial appointments during my time covering Sheffield Wednesday.

Dave Challinor watches Sheffield Wednesday’s training session

Today was a first.

It was the first time I’ve been invited to watch a manager’s opening training session.

The local media were given a glimpse behind the curtain as Dave Challinor took charge of training for the first time since replacing Henrik Pedersen.

In glorious sunshine at Middlewood Road, Challinor observed from the sidelines while his new assistants Antony Sweeney and Clint Hill put the players through their paces. The session was intense, focused and meticiously structured.

Sweeney and Hill were in their element, constantly demanding more from the squad. During one passing drill, Sweeney raised his voice and bellowed: “We do not miss that channel at this football club. We’re too good to do that. The standards are higher.”

Raising standards is both the immediate and long-term objective of Wednesday’s new-look coaching team. It will take time for Challinor and his staff embed their patterns of play and expectations, but the messaging was clear from the outset.

More than once, Sweeney belted out: “Match tempo.” Players were repeatedly reminded to recognise passing lanes and create options for the man in possession. Sharpness, intensity and concentration were non-negotiable.

Too often Wednesday’s play under Pedersen felt slow and methodical. Challinor intends to inject greater speed and purpose into their play, moving the ball quicker and playing on the front foot. His teams have built a reputation for playing attractive football, though he is pragmatic enough to adapt when circumstances demand.

Hill oversaw a small-sided possession game. Like Sweeney, he was a constant presence. He offered plenty of words of encouragement to the squad. Both are strong personalities and vocal coaches who want to drive standards every day on the training ground.

The assembled media watched around 20 minutes of the session. It was an eye-opener and abundantly clear that Challinor intends to do things his way. It is early days but there were already subtle signs of change in both the demands being placed on the players and the way Wednesday to play.

It all bodes well for the future.

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