@owlstalk Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 Former Sheffield Wednesday captain Glenn Loovens gives his thoughts to Yorkshire Live on his time at Sheffield Wednesday starting with how the Owls eventually struggled under Carlos Carvalhal.. "I think a big factor was we had a lot of injuries," he told Yorkshire Live. "It is probably because of the two seasons where we finished in the play-offs and the same players played most of the games. "Maybe we mentally and physically were a bit drained because we had to push things to the end. "We had a lot of injuries and everything fell apart." Many observers believe the turning point in Carvalhal's reign was their 4-2 humbling at home to neighbours Sheffield United in September. Loovens said: "I was injured at the time. I think at one point we had 11-12 players injured and they were probably 10 that had played most of the season before so it is tough to replace that. "Nobody gets injured on purpose; it was just one of those freaky things that happens once in a blue moon "We couldn't cope with the amount of injuries we picked up and we had to play a lot of young players. "It was tough for the young players. When you take them from the Under-23s, you want to put them into a team that are doing nicely and winning. "It was tough for them but that's football." Time was called on Carvalhal’s two-and-half year tenure on Christmas Eve following a seven-match winless streak. He left Wednesday languishing in 15th position. "I was disappointed and sad to see him go," admitted former Feyenoord and Celtic centre-back Loovens. "I regard Carlos very highly as a coach and as a person. "I still stay in contact with Carlos today." But why did it go wrong under Carlos? "I don't like to over analyse things. "We had a lot of injuries and I am pretty sure if everyone had stayed fit we would have been in and around the play-offs again. "We had a lot of injuries and that is football. There are some things you can't control. "We tried to make the most of it." What about when Jos Luhukay arrived at the club? What does Loovens think of Jos' time? "The first thing I said to him was 'it is going to be tough'. We had a lot of injuries but, to be fair to Jos, he never moaned about injuries. He just got on with it. "If he had to play a lad from the Under-23s, he had no problem with that. "Jos had his own ideas and way of doing things. "He had coached most of his career in Germany and they do things a little bit differently than in England. "But as a player, you need to adapt to a new manager, surroundings or a new club. "As a whole, we didn't perform that year from the coaching staff through to the players. I don't think we can just blame it on one guy or one thing." Loovens said: "Jos was fair with everyone. If you were injured, he wanted you to train for two, three, four weeks and then play for the reserves two or three times. It didn't matter who you were. It was the same for everyone. "In the two, three or four weeks you were training with the reserves, he would put a young boy in the first team. "He was very strict and straight with everyone. "We did a lot of 11 v 11 in training. "We played a lot with three at the back. We were a bit slow and I think he felt playing three at the back would give us more security." "I hardly trained in pre-season," he admitted. "I then trained for a week or so at the start of the season and I think one of the centre-halves got injured. "I got forced to play straight away and I think after the second game against QPR I fell awkwardly and I had a pretty bad injury in my hip so that kept me out again for two to three months. "The hip injury actually bothered me the whole season but what can you do. "After two or three months, I tried to get fit again but it was a frustrating time with the injury and manager change." "I was a little disappointed not to be offered a new contract but I could see it coming. I was not playing in the last couple of months of the season. "I really enjoyed my time at the club and I thought we had some good years. "I know my last year wasn't my best but I had my reasons as well. I missed pre-season and then I got injured so I never really got going. "It was tough for me but I knew if I got a good pre-season behind me I could still do a job. "Maybe if they [Wednesday] had needed me 10 or 15 games in a season I would have been happy because I still would have been involved in the team and in the dressing room. "I had four and a half years at the club," he said. "They were a big part of my playing career and are very close to my heart. "They were one of my last clubs so I have a great connection with the people there. "I made a lot of friends at the club and I still come back with a big smile on my face." "I would have accepted that role but that is football and you have to respect the club's decision." Loovens didn't announce his retirement from football though.. Loovens said: "I am not the kind of guy that needs to be in the spotlight. "I did a pre-season with Sunderland (last year) and we came to a mutual agreement to terminate my contract and that was it. "I had a few offers after that but I felt it was probably the right time to stop playing." Does he miss football? "I miss being involved and around the place," he said. "I don't miss the actual football...not yet. "Don't get me wrong, I did it for 18 to 19 years and I loved every minute of playing but at the moment I don't miss it. "I had a good career so I can't complain. "I always tried to leave every club I played for in a better place." Read the full article here by Dom Howson - https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/sheffield-wednesday-glenn-loovens-exclusive-18229528 Owlstalk Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owls-Fan Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 Just read that online, interesting to hear Carlos was so respected as a coach. Looking back from the fans perspective I remember we were fed up with his stubbornness to try different things, his apparent blame in players being brought back too quickly from injury and poor dealings in transfer windows. Whether he was actually to blame for all of those things is probably still uncertain. Had we managed to get Sean Morrison as he wanted then our defence would have been a hell of a lot better since that time. It’s probably a reflection on how things are now, that I’m starting to feel getting rid of Carlos may have been a mistake. Though in reality I still put most blame at Chansiri and his advisors door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoop Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 What a guy Top player Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pazowl55 Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 11 or 12 out injured. Do we factor that in when we all pile in on Carlos? Had he been to blame for the injury situation I am sure Loovens would have said. Jos had almost a pre season fitness plan for anyone out injured to be able to come back. And as a result had to throw in a load of u23 players before there time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@owlstalk Posted May 15, 2020 Author Share Posted May 15, 2020 20 minutes ago, pazowl55 said: 11 or 12 out injured. Do we factor that in when we all pile in on Carlos? Had he been to blame for the injury situation I am sure Loovens would have said. Really? Do you think he would? He's saying in the article that he's still chatting to Carlos and still bezzie mates. Do you honestly think he'd go in the press and say 'Carlos rushed players back rather than play all those players he froze out'? I don't Owlstalk Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pazowl55 Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 26 minutes ago, @owlstalk said: Really? Do you think he would? He's saying in the article that he's still chatting to Carlos and still bezzie mates. Do you honestly think he'd go in the press and say 'Carlos rushed players back rather than play all those players he froze out'? I don't Thought about them being mates might be an issue in his coming forward with any info. Just found it was a bit ironic that we all level it at Carlos being the one that always rushed players back and in the article the only one rushing a player back was Jos. Using the words I got forced to play straight away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 1 hour ago, @owlstalk said: Really? Do you think he would? He's saying in the article that he's still chatting to Carlos and still bezzie mates. Do you honestly think he'd go in the press and say 'Carlos rushed players back rather than play all those players he froze out'? I don't No he wouldn't. but he was one of the injured bunch and clearly doesn't blame Carlos for it. I wouldn't be surprised if Carlos is still in touch with one or two others that were injured at the time who won't blame him either. One or two might blame the approach of Carlos and his staff at the time but then others have come in with approaches that others would be critical of. Without being directly critical, Loovens doesn't appear overly convinced with the approach Jos took to welcoming players back into the team from injury and he also insisted Fletcher wasn't capable of playing more than twice a month at times whereas this season he carried the team twice a week before picking up an injury that was nothing to do with fitness or overuse strain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RigBon Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 I wouldn't mind seeing this chap managing us one day. By all account he was VERY well-respected in the dressing room and really kept the team together. Obvious qualities that are needed also in a manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HIGHERSTATE Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 Upto 15 players out injured is a bit more than 'just football' and 'freakish'. We still have no idea how it happened and I doubt Glen would spill any beans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJMortimer Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 Thank God for the forum search options. All this talk of injuries reminded me of an old post of mine and there was no way I was going to look it all up again. Someone suggested that Carvalhal had to cope with the same kind of injury problems as his successor. So I replied, thus... On 13/04/2018 at 00:47, DJMortimer said: There is simply no comparison between the resources they have had available and it is utterly fraudulent to suggest otherwise. Here's a list of some of the major players in our squad and their appearances this season, and then some of the Academy team who have been relied on out of necessity... Carvalhal Luhukay Carvalhal Luhukay (29 games) (20 games) (29 games) (20 games) Westwood 18 0 Wildsmith 8 20 Lees 20 8 Dawson 0 4 van Aken 13 0 Thorniley 0 8 Hutchinson 5 2 Nielsen 0 3 Bannan 23 4 O'Grady 0 1 Lee 15 0 Clare 0 5 Wallace 21 4 Stobbs 0 3 Forestieri 3 4 Hooper 24 0 TOTALS 8 44 Fletcher 20 0 TOTALS 162 22 Yeah, you're right. The injury problems they have suffered have been almost exactly the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest paulvcooke Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 3 hours ago, @owlstalk said: Really? Do you think he would? He's saying in the article that he's still chatting to Carlos and still bezzie mates. Do you honestly think he'd go in the press and say 'Carlos rushed players back rather than play all those players he froze out'? I don't "Bezzie Mates"? Where does it say that in the article you have copy and pasted without attributing it's source? Is this an Owlstalk exclusive or have you just 'forgotten' to mention the source? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@owlstalk Posted May 16, 2020 Author Share Posted May 16, 2020 5 hours ago, HIGHERSTATE said: Upto 15 players out injured is a bit more than 'just football' and 'freakish'. We still have no idea how it happened and I doubt Glen would spill any beans. Exactly Owlstalk Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james o connor Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 5 hours ago, HIGHERSTATE said: Upto 15 players out injured is a bit more than 'just football' and 'freakish'. We still have no idea how it happened and I doubt Glen would spill any beans. It’s not that hard to work out . Players like Westwood, Loovens and Hutchinson were always injured , it was just a case of managing it . Gary hooper was knackered when he arrived hence Wednesday got him , same with abdi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@owlstalk Posted May 16, 2020 Author Share Posted May 16, 2020 On 13/04/2018 at 00:47, DJMortimer said: There is simply no comparison between the resources they have had available and it is utterly fraudulent to suggest otherwise. Here's a list of some of the major players in our squad and their appearances this season, and then some of the Academy team who have been relied on out of necessity... Carvalhal Luhukay Carvalhal Luhukay (29 games) (20 games) (29 games) (20 games) Westwood 18 0 Wildsmith 8 20 Lees 20 8 Dawson 0 4 van Aken 13 0 Thorniley 0 8 Hutchinson 5 2 Nielsen 0 3 Bannan 23 4 O'Grady 0 1 Lee 15 0 Clare 0 5 Wallace 21 4 Stobbs 0 3 Forestieri 3 4 Hooper 24 0 TOTALS 8 44 Fletcher 20 0 TOTALS 162 22 Yeah, you're right. The injury problems they have suffered have been almost exactly the same. That's incredible. Mindboggling stuff really when you look at the availability of players. Owlstalk Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoop Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 (edited) A few players have come out and told us about the training methods by CC and the way he deals with injuries. Basically from the bits and pieces I’ve heard it was slack, CC didn’t do a great deal of conditioning work, it was all ball work and tactical on the training ground When players were injured he’d just flog them to death or put them back in the side when they weren’t ready (Lee, Lees, Fletcher, Hooper) This came to a head at the end of 16/17 when nearly the entire medical team was replaced. I seem to remember Alan Smith tweeting about this after his departure Edited May 16, 2020 by Stoop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrmason69 Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 I've read his article We failed mainly because we signed highly rated players on Premier league wages and then refused to play them. We failed because they owner started interfering in team selection. He started buying players without CC being involved. CC actually told me that the owner did the signing and he played absolutely no part. It's all there for everyone to see on twitter. If we had injuries then why didn't we play the blacklisted players? In fact, why were they signed and then blacklisted Years on, we still have exactly the same problems with blacklists and a total refusal to pick certain players. We are still playing players who have failed year after year. No other club in all four divisions would do this. Until we get rid of the owner then this club will not go anywhere than down. People like waddle are one of the few who speaks out. He will obviously have influence at the club and staff will tell him things. He's not the type to go out on a limb unless the story checks out Loovens did OK out of wednesday as we kept him when he was completely past it. Somethings never change do they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrie Madden Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 13 hours ago, pazowl55 said: 11 or 12 out injured. Do we factor that in when we all pile in on Carlos? Had he been to blame for the injury situation I am sure Loovens would have said. Jos had almost a pre season fitness plan for anyone out injured to be able to come back. And as a result had to throw in a load of u23 players before there time. Don't be silly he was a fraud we know it because so many of his old players tell us .....................oh wait except they don't player after player tell us that he was respected its just the football experts on here that know different Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Road Runner Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 He's the leader we are missing, so calm and composed and led his troops well. One of the better transfers we have made, would love for him to come in a coach the defence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonofbert2 Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 Loovens was one of CC’s chosen 11, he was in the in-crowd. It’s why they’re still mates and he’d never say owt dodgy. Great player though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 11 hours ago, DJMortimer said: Thank God for the forum search options. All this talk of injuries reminded me of an old post of mine and there was no way I was going to look it all up again. Someone suggested that Carvalhal had to cope with the same kind of injury problems as his successor. So I replied, thus... My main takeaway from that is that you haven't included Loovens and Carlos had to play Van Aken 20 times - recipe for disaster at the back! Also depends on when the injuries occurred, the Utd performance was abysmal defensively but we got results around that game and were in the top half. We lost 7 in a row leading to Carlos leaving - if that was when the main members of the squad were injured then it is no coincidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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