The Sheffield Wednesday players are very fond of one of their younger teammates, Joe Crann has now revealed.
Sheffield Wednesday have bolstered their first-team squad with nine new players so far this summer.
Danny Rohl has also managed to chip away at the club’s average squad age, with Sheffield Wednesday boasting the oldest squad in the Championship last season.
At the end of last summer’s transfer window, Sheffield Wednesday’s average squad age was 27.3 years, though that number now stands at 26.7 years.
There’s youngsters like Bailey Cadamarteri who’s broken through the youth ranks and into the first-team squad, making a big impression last season with four Championship goals.
Other names are flirting with the first-team under Rohl, including young goalkeeper Pierce Charles.
Charles has recently been away on international duty with Northern Ireland’s U19s, having made his first-team debut for Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup last season.
With James Beadle having returned this summer, though, Charles could be facing a slightly uncertain summer.
Sheffield Wednesday players think very highly of Pierce Charles, says Joe Crann
Sheffield Wednesday’s goalkeeping department has undergone a bit of change this summer, with Cameron Dawson leaving and Ben Hamer arriving.
That seems like a straight-swap in the no.2 position, with Beadle obviously returning as the no.1 goalkeeper.
Youngsters Charles and Jack Hall seem to be battling for the no.3 spot, though Charles, at 19 years old and having debuted last season, may be primed for a loan move away from Hillsborough.
Speaking on Charles’ situation, journalist Joe Crann said for The Star: “The interesting thing with Pierce is it’s not just coaches; the players speak fondly about Pierce and his ability on the ball, what he’s capable of.
“Anyone who watched the U19 Euros will have seen exactly why. He’s a special talent, but Wednesday need to figure out how they’re going to manage that.”
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What next for Pierce Charles at Sheffield Wednesday
Charles certainly looks like a Rohl-type goalkeeper in that he’s very capable with his feet.
But he certainly lacks first-team experience. A loan move may be ideal for Charles this summer, and then next summer when Beadle returns to Brighton, Charles may be better-prepared to come in and realistically challenge for the no.1 spot at Sheffield Wednesday.
The fact that the Owls’ players think highly of Charles tells us that he’s able to mix in and compete with more established footballers, which is a great sign for such a young goalkeeper.
He’s gaining good experience on the intentional stage and now he really needs to be given the chance to shine on the club stage.