Sheffield Wednesday's 2017/18 Season

League Position: 15th

Average league attendance: 25,995

Top league goal-scorer: Atdhe Nuhiu (11)

They say all good things must come to an end and so it proved for Sheffield Wednesday and Carlos Carvalhal this season as the Portuguese boss left Hillsborough after two-and-a-half successful years in charge.

It was a season that peaked early for The Owls as they looked to bounce back from their second consecutive Play-Off defeat. One defeat in their first seven saw them briefly occupy a top-six spot in September but from then on it was a slow side down the table.

The next three month produced just three league wins, Carvalhal departing on Christmas Eve with The Owls 15th and without a win in seven. Jos Luhukay took over the reigns in early 2018 but struggled early on, winning just one of his first 11 matches in charge as Wednesday drifted towards the relegation zone.

However, the Dutch boss managed to turn things around in March and April, embarking on a run of six wins from ten to end the season and give those from the Steel City in blue and white optimism for the season ahead.

THE GROUND

Hillsborough

Miles from Brentford: 169

Capacity: 39,732

Address: Hillsborough, Sheffield, S6 1SW

Directions to Hillsborough

THE MANAGER

Jos Luhukay's appointment in January had a fair few heading to Google with the 54-year-old not widely known outside of his native Holland, where he spent the majority of his playing career, and Germany, where he had spent his entire management career before joining The Owls. A central midfielder, he began his career at the age of 15 at his hometown club VVV-Venlo. After spells with SVV Schiedam and RKC Waalwijk, he left for Germany, where he had two stints at SV Straelen, either side of a year at KFC Uerdingen in the Bundesliga.

After retiring in 1998, his first two managerial jobs were with Straelen and Uerdingen before a three-year spell at 1.FC Koln as Assistant Manager. Managerial roles at SC Paderborn 07, Borussia Monchengladbach and FC Augsburg followed before he took over at Hertha BSC in 2012. His first season in Berlin saw Hertha promoted with a record points haul in the 2.Bundesliga. 18 months later he was sacked with Hertha second from bottom in the German top flight. A short-lived spell at Stuttgart in 2016 ended as Luhukay fell out with the Chairman leading to a 16 month exile from management prior to his arrival at Hillsborough.

THE KEY MAN

Atdhe Nuhiu: 2017/18 38 appearances, 14 goals

A return of nine goals from The Owls final eight games suggests that Jos Luhukay began to get the best out of the giant Kosovan towards the end of the season. With a reputation as a cautious, defensive manager, Lukuhay sees Nuhiu's strength and physicality making him into the focal point of The Owls attack next term. The Wednesday boss himself talked about a bond of trust between the two towards the end of the season and will be hoping Nuhui hits the ground running in August.

LAST TIME

HEAD TO HEAD

Brentford wins: 11

Draws: 14

Sheffield Wednesday wins: 13

2018/19 ODDS WITH LEO VEGAS SPORT UK*

Championship Winners: 25/1

Promotion: 7/1

Relegation: 11/1

*Odds correct at time of writing.

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