- Players are fully focused says Stuart Gray
- Head coach previews the big kick-off with Brighton
- Owls aim for positive start to the Championship season
- Gray praises Owls fans who will travel in numbers to The Amex
Head coach Stuart Gray has said the players are fully focused on the task in hand as the curtain raises on the new term this weekend.
Up first for Wednesday is a tough test against last season’s play-off semi finalists Brighton, but Gray has every confidence that his side can prosper on the South Coast.
He told swfc.co.uk: “The players are fully focused and they’ve shown a great desire to work hard and it all starts on Saturday against Brighton.
“I’ve got a squad of players who are prepared for the game, I’ve got a lot of confidence in them, they’re playing with a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of honesty and we’ll give Brighton a good game.”
High on the agenda for Gray is that his side kick-off the campaign with a positive result and put on a show for the large following from Sheffield.
He continued: “We’ve got over 2,500 fans travelling down to Brighton which is unbelievable and it will be a great atmosphere.
“Hopefully the players will put on a show for them.
“Realistically, we don’t want the start we had last season. The most important thing is that we get off to a good start.
“Sami Hyppia will want to stamp his mark on the squad, we’ve had them watched and it’s not a game that fears us.
“They will be disappointed they missed out in the play-offs last season.
“We went there time and should have won the game but I have every confidence of us going there and getting a positive result on Saturday.
“One thing I can promise the fans is that there will be no lack of application from this group of players as we look to achieve that.”
Watch highlights of the Owls' previous trip to Brighton below: