Miguel Llera has launched a scathing attack on Sheffield Wednesday under Xisco Munoz. The man who served the Owls with distinction has highlighted where the problem was under the Spaniard.
Llera remains a fan favourite at Hillsborough to this day. He made 95 appearances for the club and helped Wednesday win promotion to the Championship in 2011/12.
Munoz was dismissed before Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Huddersfield. He oversaw a winless run of 10 games, with Wednesday claiming just two points from his drab tenure.
Llera slams Wednesday for start to 2023/24 campaign
The man who used to play centre-back for Wednesday with his trademark scrum cup attached to his head has been left stunned by one aspect of the Owls.
He told Yorkshire Live: “Under Xisco the main problem was without the ball. It was shocking. It was like having 11 mannequins on the pitch. There was no desire, no tackling, no closing down, no passion. It’s impossible to win games like that.
“If they were playing like that against a League Two side they’d still lose. Any player, if you are giving them seven, eight, nine seconds on the ball, it’s too long. I couldn’t believe it from a manager like Xisco. I know they brought a lot of players in the last days of the window but are they fit enough? I’m not sure.”
Llera has a point and Owls must improve
It does say an awful lot that Neil Thompson started just one of the new recruits at the weekend. That had the desired effect as the Owls claimed a creditable draw against Huddersfield.
Some of the newer players just aren’t up to it and Munoz has now been forced to carry the can. Whether he was actually responsible for signing a lot of the new players remains to be seen.
The challenge for the manager, whoever it might be, will be to try and find a winning formula. Some of last season’s promotion winners are up to the job. As a result, they simply need to be played more often.
Llera is a Pro License coach himself. Perhaps the new manager could do a lot worse than bring him on board to try and get a tune out of some of the current crop.