Mason Burstow, Dane Scarlett and a vital Sheffield Wednesday academy update

Our man Joe Crann is back from Sheffield Wednesday's preseason tour, and joins Dom Howson to chat about all that and plenty more on this week's episode of The Wednesday Word.

We're talking new away kits, upcoming friendlies, and the interest in both Mason Burstow and Dane Scarlett. There's also time to discuss the Owls' financial limitations after last week's news, and that statement from David Storch.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

This week on the Wednesday Word Show, Dom and I will be talking about beers and sausages on preseason, which just for Wednesday. We'll touch on what happened against Stokes today. That swanky new yellow away kit and Wednesday's interest in both Mason Burstow and Dane Scarlet.

SPEAKER_00 0:21

Hello and welcome to the latest episode of The Wednesday Word. I'm your host, Dom Housen, and I'm with Joe Cran. How are you doing, Joe? I'm knackered, mate.

SPEAKER_01 0:32

I uh I've had a very tough time uh swanning about Hungary and Austria. It's been really, really hard, mate. Um no, jokes aside, it's been it's been a great, great few days, been a great trip, but I uh I could do with a little bit of a rest now. I've drank too many beers, eating too many sausages, and uh yeah, got a little bit too much sun, I think.

SPEAKER_00 0:52

Rest with Sheffield Wednesday, that doesn't go together at all. So we've got loads to uh get through as well, so we're gonna get cracking. Yeah, you've got to uh in as few words as possible try and sum up the pre-season training camp of Budapest uh and Vienna. Um and then I mean, first of all, the most important question is did your flight get delayed?

SPEAKER_01 1:14

Uh only by about 10 minutes, so luckily I was not hanging about in an airport for 15 hours. I I felt so sorry for him, especially at Miller, because you know he's on his own, and at least the players and stuff were with each other, whereas Alex was on his own, he had a train to get when he got back, and yeah, just a horrible day that. And I think the worst thing about it is you're in like this really cool city, and instead of spending those extra hours exploring a little bit, they're stuck in an airport lounge drinking and eating overpriced food. Um, but yeah, no, the trip itself was was really good. Glad I wasn't delayed coming home because I was ready to come back by the time I left. But yeah, I feel like I learned a lot about Henrik, about the players, what they're trying to do this season. And to be honest, that that those camps are always so fascinating for a bit of sort of insight. And Henrik was great with us. He he, you know, when we were watching training sessions, he'd come over and explain to us what they were doing, why they were doing it, what the sort of what was they hoped to gain from it. And it's just a you know, a really interesting look inside the the brain of football people, I suppose.

SPEAKER_00 2:22

Um everyone will look to the friendly results and the score line, but uh as we all know, friendlies are pretty much glorified uh training exercises. Um, Sheffield Wednesday's signed nine players, and so uh people won't like it. But the facts are that there is the jellying in and uh and there is the team bonding, and that is of course what is important about the um the training camps. But yeah, uh I mean what were your thoughts on Stoke? Uh positives, negatives, everything in between?

SPEAKER_01 2:54

Yeah, I mean, like you say, it was one of those games that we we I think people do look for bits in it, as as you always do when it comes to a game of football. But it was effectively, you know, two 70-minute games. Th there were there were a lot of positive safe. I think when with those, you're kind of looking for moments rather than full performances. Uh, I thought one of the big standouts for me, I thought Callum Slattery looked really good. He looks he looks to have settled into that side really nicely, a real, real footballer. There's one one little pass from him that really stuck outside the boots to Sean Fasierra. And you know, it was those sort of things where you look at and you go, This this could be a little bit, a little bit class. Thought the the left-hand side worked really well. Baz looks like he's never never left. Louis Barry, Max Lowe, and and Bannon, they all sort of work together really nicely. Sil Sfinkles looks really tidy. Thought Billy Mitchell looked looked pretty good in the second game as well, although he had a tough time of things considered it was it was effectively him and a load of children. Um but no, it's uh I think there was obviously the negatives to take out of it are the fact that they didn't score a goal, um, they got B. It's very clear they need more players, but all these things are um are useful, and and I think that's the way it should be taken. Henrik will have watched the game, he he tried out different formations, they they they worked in different ways at different times. So sometimes they had a back four, sometimes they'd have a back five, in and out of possession, and there's all these sort of things that he's working on, and then I think there's going to be a lot of horses for courses this season. Um, obviously, Henrik wants to be on the front foot, and he he said as much he wants wedding to be an attacking team from day one, but you need to have options, you need to have a plan B. I mean, how often have we seen sort of managers accused of of not having a plan B if plan A doesn't work? So I think the fact that Henrik's sort of plotting a course for different kinds of football games is is definitely a positive.

SPEAKER_00 4:53

Agreed, and I think it is exciting and uh definitely worthwhile that they are going to have to play different systems uh across the course of the season because we've seen Wednesday in League One when they've been successful over the last 15-20 years, of where you can't have one way of playing. Uh, and but it does feel as if he's building a different sort of profile of team though to the one that we saw go up three years ago. As we're recording this, uh a few hours after the release of the away kit for next season, and yes, what was uh your reaction to the big tease and the big build-up that they've given as well a few days before? But yeah, yeah, did you make it to it?

SPEAKER_01 5:38

It's gloriously nostalgic in it. I think they've done a great job of of that. You know, that's the it's a nod back to the 92-93 kit. The the home kit is is gloriously nostalgic, um, probably even more so. But I like the fact they did it in in Budapest. I like the the sort of um the tagline of made on the road for the road. And it was it was it was interesting seeing uh all the fans trying to decipher whose legs and whose hands and all that kind of stuff were in the the teaser video, considering we knew that there hadn't been any new players there, so we knew we knew it wasn't gonna be any uh anything anything fresh on that front. But yeah, I I like it. I think um I said on Twitter when it when it came out, you know, I know they've got to have different sort of shorts to the the home kit, but I do think that that away kit with the home shorts with the black and black shorts with the yellow owl owl on them all look banging. Um so yeah, they've got a couple options there, but they they did it in in Simpler Kurt, which is like a old old, well, I say old, it's like a ruined bar in the centre of Budapest, and it's uh a really iconic venue to do it. And yeah, the fact that they they've done it in that way, I thought was really was really cool, and I'm sure it'll sell very, very well because uh we all know how much Wednesday art's like a yellow away kit.

SPEAKER_00 6:55

They certainly do. Uh I've seen a few people online quibble over, I think the collar think it some people would have maybe liked to have seen that.

SPEAKER_01 7:03

And then, yeah, as you it's a personal preference though, isn't it? Like you see, some people like a collar, some people hate a collar. I I I think I'm on the collar, the collar train. I think I'd like you know, a black a black collar and that I think would look really, really smart. But yeah, either way, it's a nice shirt.

SPEAKER_00 7:19

Well, as the fashion icon out of the two of us are about to uh greater knowledge on these things. But yeah, you also a few hours ago you broke some uh you know really good, uh important and great news from a Wednesday perspective, which is that they have retained um category two status with the Academy and just how important was that Joe? And it's uh it just feels another huge tick in the um the box for the new ownership group.

SPEAKER_01 7:48

Yeah, massively so. I think obviously that the Wednesday Academy has been um left alone a little bit too much, shall we say, under under previous ownership, and they they were on the brink. You know, I from what I can gather that there was a lot that needed to happen this summer in order for them to retain that status. And you know, it's it's obviously not just the prestige when it comes to academies and the the categories that are that are there, you know. You when you're in cat two rather than cat three, your your pool of players that you can choose from is bigger, you've got a better chance of holding on to the players you do develop, and there's all these sort of things, and and and then there is just the element of being a cat two club rather than a cat three. You know, if you're you're in a city like Sheffield where you've got two teams, if there's a young kid who's maybe on the fence about where to go, and one of them's a cat two and one of them's a cat three, then you know that it does it does play a big part in people's decisions. So I know the guys at Arise have have worked very hard and and done a lot to make sure that Wednesday are able to keep their cat two status. The sort of collaboration that they've they've done with Sheffield Hallam, with the the University Sports Park on Borcher Road has helped matters because obviously it means that they're they're a bit more spread out, they've got access to a a bit more um a few more fields, a bit more space. And um, yeah, I think massive kudos to to the to the guys at Arise because there is a lot that they're doing, you know, they're spinning a hundred different plates at this point in time. So the fact that they've prioritised the academy and made that a thing that they want wanted to get sorted is is brilliant because it really needed to happen. And uh the fact that Wednesday will be a cat two side for now um is brilliant. Hopefully, maintain that. It you know, if you want to read go and read up on the what it takes to become a cat one academy, you'll see why that's probably not quite attainable just yet. But um, yeah, hopefully in the future we'll see that at Wednesday.

SPEAKER_00 9:43

Yes, academies are not cheap to run. Um not at all. We we have to stress that. And another sort of interesting development off the pitch, of course, is that uh David Bruce has been now appointed you know onto the board, and what an impact you know David Bruce has had to the um the off-the-pitch operation. And uh yeah, David Storch was glowing really in his appraisal, wasn't he, of David Bruce, you know, for this sort of his ambition, relentless energy, and outstanding professionalism, and and that's it, he's trying to build that sustainable success in the long term for Wednesday. Um and following on off the back of that, of course, a few days later, was then the very lengthy statement from the owner himself. Um and so, yeah, you have um you and Alex Miller uh and Rob Stays and Beaver Radio Sheffield, you know, you have all sort of tried to keep everyone you know in the loop as to the financial limitations that Wednesday are operating, working within, and you know, people don't like it. I'm sure a lot of Wednesday were fans were thinking as soon as the Arise Group came in that it was going to be another spend again, a bit similar to the previous owner. But um that was quite clear that after leaving administration uh and then avoiding the points deduction, the agreement that they've come together with with the EFL and everything. So and Wednesday have already been very busy and active, as we know, in the transfer market. Um, but yeah, just give everyone a run through of the key things that David Storch um has said and then where this leaves Wednesday in the marketplace right now.

SPEAKER_01 11:33

Yeah, I mean I think the the the key takeaways from where Wednesday are at in terms of the the financial side of things and the transfer side of things is effectively they're almost out in terms of what they're allowed to spend. It's not to say that they haven't got any more money, that they wouldn't want to spend more money, but they don't have much left to spend on transfer fees. What they do have is the ability to spend on wages, which opens the door for different ways of doing things. So, for as an example, Wednesday could say there's two teams in League One trying to sign a player on loan from the Premier League. One team can go, we'll give you a loan fee plus 50% of his wages. Wednesday can't do that necessarily because they don't have the money to spend on loan fees anymore. But what they could do is that we they can go, Well, we'll give you 100% of his wages. So that's the sort of the way they can get around it. They can get around it with sell-on clauses, with buybacks, with all those kinds of little bits and bats that you can put into transfers. So there are ways around it for Wednesday. And I think that the main takeaway is the fact that they're trying to be sustainable. You know, the the way that they're structuring their deals is is done in a way that is a sustainable way going forward. We've seen what happens when you throw money at a problem and and it doesn't work out, you know. The I think that like you said, there are some people that feel like Wednesday are being overly punished and all that kind of stuff. And I I get that train of thought, but to get away with zero points going into the season after everything that happened, if that means taking a hit, then you know it's not the the worst thing in the world. As far as I understand, this budget that they've or the cap that they've got transfer-wise is per season. There is a chance, uh, a likelihood, I would say, that that's going to be there next season as well. But um, I think another thing to explain is the fact that transfers don't help terms of transfers out. So, like Piers Charles coming in, uh, sorry, Piers Charles, the money from Piers Charles coming in doesn't sort of add to the transfer kit, if that makes sense. Um, it helps with the wages, but it doesn't help with the the transfers per se. So, yeah, I think that's the the main breakdown of everything. Wednesday are just in a position where they're having to be a little bit more savvy now in terms of loans, free transfers. And when I say free transfers, I don't necessarily mean players that are out of contract. You know, we saw Darren Moore bring in guys like George Byers and Lee Gregory on a on a on a free transfer by sort of circumnavigating things with the sort of clauses I spoke about before. So yeah, um Simon Wilson is very good at his job, and I think that he will be uh, you know, he's already done some some great work so far this summer, um, alongside the the rest of the recruitment team, like Kev Beadle and and obviously Henrik. But yeah, I think it's gonna be interesting to see what else comes in. I know Wednesday are looking for a few more, and um, yeah, the the fact that they can't pay transfer fees is a hindrance, but I don't think it's a a killer for them, in my in my opinion. Wednesday are still a draw card, especially in League One.

SPEAKER_00 14:42

It struck me too as uh classic expectation management um three three weeks out before sort of the the start of the league season. I know that we've got Bolton in the cup to come to, but uh to me that Bolton will be sort of an extension of pre-season of where it probably will be, it's close to the strongest 11 that you're gonna see for later in the following week. Um and we know that I think I mean the the other thing we should mention too from the the friendlies that Wednesday have had so far that people will be concerned at the results uh and that yeah they haven't been maybe scoring as many goals as people would have liked. Um, but there are additions to come in, and Wednesday have been strategic in choosing of the friendlies. Look at the opposition, three championship clubs. So Wednesday are pitting themselves against strong teams to get them then ready to go. Uh and they've done what over half, maybe potentially of the business, it might not now be sort of 18 to 20. I mean, from what you've been saying, you're certainly looking at five more positions at least. But I yeah, I I think when you look at it with the the the the transfer and restrictions that Wednesday've got, I I'd actually rather have a healthy wage like salary to play with that than you don't need to spend millions of pounds and do what Birmingham did the other year. Um, yes, they smashed the league by getting what was it, 111 points, but no, Wednesday can still get averaging two points per game up and getting into the 90 mile by three pounds for the loans because they've done it before, you know, history's told them of that, and so yeah, I I don't really think it's a huge issue. Uh and we we should also say, Joe, that they've got four loan slots of where they've got four you know, loan slots of you can have five in a matchday squad, and there's only Harry Grey so far, so there's there's plenty of room there to play with in the loan market, and you and you've just perfectly outlined the situation on how they're gonna have to structure and work deals, but yeah, I I I I don't see it as a problem, and there's still be some good free agents out there as well that may be able to do them a job for them in forward areas. Um, I so I think we've covered a lot of the storch statement, and I I think we should we should also say that this is the type of transparency and honesty or people you know the messaging Yeah, crying out for, yeah. Yeah, and that we weren't getting from the last owner, and then arguably owners before Day Pon Chanceri as well. It was exactly you know the same of where you know this um group have consistently said it's about fan engagement. Well, they're engaging with the fans, and so fans may not always like what they've got to say, but they're they're putting it out there and they're they're trying to be as upfront as possible. And and I and as I said before, managing expectations of people who were maybe thinking that Jamie Vardy looked like he was on the cards a few weeks ago. Now I think we we've quite clearly seen that that probably is not one that Wednesday are gonna get over the wide. Yeah, I mean, and that neatly brings us on to transfers, and we we haven't touched on Billy Mitchell, um, but to me another great signing, and Wednesday are building a similar midfield, I think, Joe, to what they had three years ago. When you look at the strength, the quality of the one go byers, Bannon, Mitchell, Bannon, Slatteret. I mean, that is that should be up there with as good as anything in Lee.

SPEAKER_01 18:33

Yeah, yeah. I th I think you can you keep those three fit and and firing as your midfield three, and you've you've you've you've got a really good sort of centre core of a football team. Um, they all offer very different things. Um, didn't have a chance to chat to to Louis Baret, but saw Alex's interview with him and chat to Alex about him. He says he's a really bubbly character. Um, so you know that offers something a little bit different on the on the side of things as well. And and with Callum Slattery, he's a he's a player that comes very highly rated. I spoke to a few different people about him. So you've got there's there's four players there that are that are able to to make an immediate impact when they come in. Um and I think you know, chat to Billy Myth Jewell a little bit after the Stoke game. Um, I think it's all a bit strange for him. He's basically been at Mel his whole life, and now he's uh now he's trying something new. So but he seems to be to have settled in well. He's obviously got Baz who he knows, and it's uh yeah, I think there's there's been some some really good business for Wednesday. Uh as I said earlier, I think Sill's Finn calls us he looks really tidy, you know, having a lefty as as one of your centre backs as well makes a massive difference. Um got an interview with Sill coming up in the next couple of weeks that I recorded out there in in Hungary, and yeah, really interesting story. Obviously, left the Netherlands at 16 and uh has has had an interesting career so far. But yeah, the transfer front so far has been has been good. I I don't think there's there's too many complaints. Obviously, Wednesday need more, and and they certainly need more attackers. That's a key thing. We need desperately need a number nine, a big number nine that can come in, and we spoke about that on the last show. But yeah, a couple of names there now with with Dane Scarler and Mason Burstow. So hopefully they can get one or two two of those done and things start to look a little bit up at the top of the pitch as well.

SPEAKER_00 20:28

Well, what Nelly, you've already mentioned it. So, yeah, Dane Scarlet, um Mason Burstow, Kane Taylor has also been reported. Cameron Dawson, of course, was away with the group um in Hungary and Vienna. Um we've had the update on Nathaniel Schaller, but it looks like that one, that interest there, or him training with Wednesday, he was uh playing for Charlton in the preseason friendly this week. Um and then, yeah, you've also got to give us an update too on what happened with Tommy O'Reilly at Aston Villa, as that one looked like it was gonna happen, and now Wednesday seemed to have moved away from there. So, yeah, what who are Wednesday close to signing? Would you expect there to be a new edition before the final preseason friendlies? Uh, what are you thinking?

SPEAKER_01 21:22

I I don't know, like it's tough to say with these things because I I I I haven't heard of anything imminent. You know, I know that that the two that look most likely for now are are Burstow and Scarlet, and I think they're both interesting for different reasons. Um with with Burstow, it's been sort of made clear that if Wednesday are to get that done, it will be alone. He's obviously a 22 year old youngster, um, got a few goals at Bolton, um, exciting young player, obviously got good pedigree and stuff. Um, with Dane Scarlet, there's been no indication over whether it's a loan or a permanent, and there has been a sort of a suggestion, a hint that Wednesday might try and do a permanent deal with him. I think that'd be a fascinating deal for Wednesday because I mean Dane Scarlet has played for England at practically every youth level and you know he's scored for Spurs in their preseason camp in against Auckland City the other day. He's a you know he's he's got a bit more about him in terms of his his height and he's possibly a player that needs a new home. You know he's been at the same club for a long time come through the youth ranks at Spurs had a you know a load of loan spells away some more successful than others and you know if you take a punt on a on a kid like that that's the sort of business that could be really beneficial going forward. You know the sort of the sort of move that Wednesday could if they can get something like that done could have sort of really good really positive repercussions in the future. Tommy O'Reilly you know I I I don't know I don't I don't think there was anything sort of untoward that collapsed or anything like that. I just think it was a case of um talk stalled a little bit and obviously it sounds like he's off to knots county now so it's a shame because you know that right wing position is something that Wednesday are our desperates try and get filled but yeah I I think that with Burstow and and Scarlet they're the the two most likely I'm not going to sit here and say that they're sort of on the brink of getting done or anything like that but I'd say they're the the most likely of the two Cam Dawson I I don't know the the suggestion to me was that that Cam was there because it was mutually beneficial. He's loud he's bubbly he's um he's a great he's a great guy as well so yeah I'm at this point in time I'm not foreseeing anything happening on that front but that being said if if Cam Dawson signed tomorrow it will wouldn't be a massive surprise and um like I say he's a he's a great guy to have around so I don't think that many in that Wednesday side would would have any qualms if uh if Cam Dawson was to to pull on a Wednesday shirt again.

SPEAKER_00 24:08

Yeah on Burs though I watched quite a bit of him last year and um yeah he sort of resurrected his career a little bit but it's also that versatility that he could give Wednesday that he can play across all the front line but yeah for everything that you touched on there of it's quite clear to me that Wednesday the desperate for the right hand side if Wednesday going to play in a 4-2 three one or four three three Louis Barry is a nailed on to play on the left hand side like inverted we know that that's his best position and Harry Grey from the interview that he gave to Rob the other day didn't suggest that he could really do a job on the right hand side he's probably better in number 10 maybe left or up front as a nine so to me it's glaring isn't it that the right hand side as well as having that big focal point those are two areas Wednesday absolutely have to get some players in before later on not so much for Bolton because if they get through grey it's a little bit extra cash but you know I think that's the way they'd be treating it. But then I say all that the thing that we know Joe they've got to change is they've got to change into a winning mentality so if you're Henrik Pederson and you don't have loads of credit in the bank as we know going into the start of the season you probably need to get some wins on the ball like pretty darn early to start to start winning people over for what we've discussed before. And then yeah I mean I suppose finally we should look ahead to the Accrington the old and friendlies the way that Henrik will manage his resources and split the the squads up I mean what are you expecting from those friendlies?

SPEAKER_01 25:52

I I'm very intrigued to see what sort of teams he puts out because obviously it's a a bit of an odd double header with games at different points in the day and seeing there's a lot of fans looking to get to both which I think is ace in that as class um but I wouldn't I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was the same as what we saw against Stoke where we had like a an A team and a B team sort of thing had no indication that that will or won't be the case but that that could be the way Henrik looks to go with it. The there are obviously two different kinds of oppositions um they are two teams that Wednesday sh should be beaten if that makes sense so I think that the that that will be something that plays a plays a role as well just to be honest it it there's a chance that we see Ricardo Santos playing Liam Cooper playing you know having both of them back on the pitch again would be would be great. I think Deshaun Bernard are probably taking the time with him you know obviously dish has been out for a long long time and it it must have been so rough for him. So to to miss a few more games if that's what is the the sort of docks feel is is required is is fine. You know I'd rather be safe than sorry on that front. Yeah looking forward to seeing what happens in those two matches and um looking forward to seeing a bit more of of the the new lads who've come in.

SPEAKER_00 27:13

BS we might get um a clue or two as to what the starting lineup might be for for Bolton if you would like to think. Yeah I think we'll leave it there uh for this week but yeah cheers for your time Joe great to have a catch up there after you've been stunning yourself abroad and having a bit difficult time of things but uh yeah do make sure that you subscribe to the Wednesday Word yeah Joe do some fantastic content as always um and so yeah not long to go now until uh the big kickoff so uh make sure you're subscribing to the Wednesday Word.

SPEAKER_01 27:47

Cheers folks