No beer – but Danny Röhl hoping for happy Sheffield Wednesday hangover from Sheffield United clash.
Even a handsome Sheffield Wednesday victory in this afternoon’s Steel City derby will not tempt Danny Röhl into a celebratory pint – but he’s hoping for a happy hangover heading into the fortnight’s break from match action.
The scheduling of both this season’s derby clashes will take both sides into international breaks – the Hillsborough fixture comes directly before the next pause in service in March – and will deliver two weeks of celebration or commiseration for either club depending on the outcome.
The spirit of modern football often decrees that the most recent result of any side decides the mood of its fanbase for good or for bad and with no immediate opportunity for a bounce-back win, whoever loses the first derby clash in over five years will have to suffer an extended fallout.
Speaking ahead of the clash Wednesday boss Röhl denied he would repeat his post-survival promise of a celebratory beer in the event of a first Owls derby win in 12 years, preferring to keep such rarities for only big end-of-season shindigs. But he’s hoping the hangover from the Bramall Lane battle will be a satisfactory one having tasted both sweet and sour in their lead-in to the two breaks already undertaken this campaign.
“We have had both this season,” he smiled. “We lost against Millwall and we had a late win against Coventry. Both are very different feelings as you can imagine. On Sunday we want to try, to make a good performance, we want to invest. This is an emotional side you have to control sometimes whether it goes in this or this direction, but I am convinced and believe we will go in the right direction, especially after Tuesday (a 2-0 home win over Norwich City).
“You take this with you, this is the one advantage of the Championship, there is usually a chance to do it better. Sometimes if you have a big defeat and when you a long week ahead it can be difficult, but it usually comes quick. We have this international break and the result will stay with us for two weeks, we hope it is a much, much better result.”
As is the case with the vast majority of those involved this afternoon, Röhl is preparing for his first derby clash. It’s a fixture he has been happy to discuss for several weeks and shying away from ‘it’s just another game’ cliches, he’s rather leaned in to its importance. Though he admits his side step into S2 as underdogs, the image of a post-match celebration between Wednesday players and their away supporters is one he has allowed himself to consider.
