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Sheffield Wednesday podcast presenter Dan Fudge on their season so far and the European Super League.

By Khya Gott

Dan Fudge from The Wednesday Week podcast spoke to Yorkshire Voice about the club’s season so far and the European Super League.

Getty Images SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – APRIL 20: Liam Palmer of Sheffield Wednesday takes a knee in support of The Black Lives Matter movement during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn Rovers at Hillsborough Stadium on April 20, 2021 in Sheffield, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Football is one of the biggest sports in the world and, when it comes to the Covid-19 pandemic, has created an escape for many people from the problems of the real world.

But the escape is not always a positive one, with many teams suffering at the bottom of their league tables every year.

This season is no different, with Championship side Sheffield Wednesday currently in the bottom three.

As the season enters the final stages, The Owls will have to build on their win against Blackburn and hope teams around them crumble under the pressure.

Ranking their season

Wednesday fan and podcaster Dan Fudge spoke about the side’s performances, rating their season so far as they push for survival. He told Yorkshire Voice: “Some days it’s a 10, but most days this year its been a solid one, one and a half, but given where we are in the league, it has to be a one.

“We are literally sweating on Rotherham United to keep us up right now.

“They have three games in hand over us, where we have nine points available, they have a whopping 18.

“However, as been proven in the past in football, not a lot of games in hand prove useful when you are at the bottom of the league.”

Behind Closed Doors in Football

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, football has been played behind closed doors for a year now.

The current 2020/21 season has been without fans for most of the season. This has had a massive impact on some team’s performances.

Fudge weighed in on how this has impacted the Owls: “if you have a look around at clubs that are famous for having a big following outside of Sheffield, you have Newcastle, they have had a terrible season, West Brom, they’re a big club, they have had a terrible season.

“Then you look at Sheffield United and Wednesday, I do believe there is an element in them losing the ‘12th man.’”

Can Wednesday do it?

Before Wednesday played Blackburn last night and as Bristol City equalised, he thought it was a leap too far, but when they won, he regained a sense of hope.

“The equaliser at Bristol City made it a leap too far, but that is what football does to people.

“We had a terrible game of football against Blackburn last night, we ended up winning one nil and all of sudden I’m strutting around my house like ‘we’re staying up, this is happening, we’re all going to be okay, we’re all going to be great.’”

Building on the massive three points gained against Blackburn, Fudge said: “It was truly one of the worst games of football I have watched, it wasn’t a convincing win.

“But, let’s be honest we were one squared ball from them to the wrong striker and one strike absolutely straight at the goalkeeper away from losing that game.

“It wasn’t convincing, like, at all, but we’ll take the points and that is the only thing that matters.”

European Super League

As most people around the globe have found out in the last few days, the top six clubs from the Premier League alongside clubs in Spain and Italy came together to create a new league, the European Super League.

Fudge said: “it would have been a disaster for the football league, it would have diminished the credibility of our football pyramid.

“These clubs have made a laughingstock out of themselves; it has been a PR disaster; it’s driven home how out of touch the owners are with the fans.

“Given how poorly managed Sheffield Wednesday is at the top, we would have been affected quite badly.”

Fudge continued: “this isn’t the last we have heard about it.”

However, 48 hours after the announcement of the Super League, all six English clubs have withdrawn their interest in the competition.

Nationwide anger including protests outside Chelsea’s stadium Stamford Bridge is just one of the few reasons that may have influenced the decision.

Aside from this, Wednesday have a few games left this season to make a difference and retain their place in the Championship next season.

Their next game is against top half of the table side Middlesbrough so the games going forward aren’t going to be easy, but they are going to be a must-win.

What do you think?