The Sheffield Wednesday manager Garry Monk says he could bring some of his own staff to Hillsborough in the future.
So far, only Ryan Needs, Wednesday’s head of tactical analysis, has followed Monk to the Owls since the latter’s appointment last September.
James Beattie, Monk’s long-time friend and former first-team coach, was strongly linked with a move to Sheffield 6, but remains employed by Saturday’s opponents, Birmingham City – though he is understood to be working away from the squad, at home.
Monk’s predecessor, Steve Bruce, left with a pair of coaches, Steve Agnew and Stephen Clemence.
And the 40-year-old told the official Wednesday Youtube channel on Thursday that, while backroom additions were discussed at the time of his arrival, he was ultimately blocked from making any.
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“It was a situation where that just wasn’t doable at that point,” explained Monk, who is currently being supported by Lee Bullen, Nicky Weaver and Neil Thompson at Hillsborough. “There’s certain reasons for that, which I won’t get in to.
“But, of course, that was the aim, for the staff to come in. But certain situations didn’t allow that.
“It’s about then trying to get on with what you have to do and the staff have been supportive here.
“And it’s not easy for them either, it takes time to understand my methods and what I need, and the mentality that goes with that, and all those things because they don’t have the experience of working with me.
“But they’ve tried to be as supportive as possible and we’re making sure that we all try to stick together and fight through this and get ourselves to a better day and to a point (at which) we had been before the Christmas period.”
Asked if the situation could change at the end of the season, Monk replied: “Of course.
“I think in all areas. Again, if you talk about wanting to be successful and wanting to move forward you have to look at all areas. If you can improve those areas you have to do it, you have to need and want to do it.
“Then, whilst you’re in this environment, your job is to prove that you deserve that opportunity to move forward.
“That’s the same for all of us, I’m in the same boat. I have to prove that I deserve that opportunity to move forward. It’s the same for players, same for staff. That’s how it should be.”
Monk refused to elaborate on the reasons behind his failure to bring new staff to Sheffield Wednesday, but admitted that finances played a part alongside ‘other things’.
Monk, left, with Beattie at Birmingham. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Beattie, Darryl Flahavan and Pep Clotet, the recently-appointed Birmingham manager with whom Monk has since fallen out, all followed the Owls boss to Blues in 2018.
Monk signed a three-and-a-half-year contract at St Andrew’s which ended two years early, last summer.
But it is unclear if the contracts of Beattie and Flahavan also run until 2021.
