With two quality goalkeepers secured in as many days, Stuart Gray is building from the back ahead of the new Championship campaign.
The Owls’ head coach made Keiren Westwood and Chris Kirkland his first senior recruits this week, and both goalkeepers are relishing the battle between the sticks.
Speaking exclusively to swfc.co.uk at Middlewood Road on Tuesday morning, the experienced shot-stoppers each spoke well of the other – while casting more than a cursory glance to the gloves.
Westwood said: “I’m delighted to be here at Sheffield Wednesday and delighted to be working with a keeper of the calibre of Chris Kirkland.
“He has so much experience and I can only learn from working with him every day.
“Hopefully, he can learn from me as well because as keepers, that’s what you have to do, learn from each other.
“You push each other all the way and that will bring out the best in both of us.
“We are both here and we both want to play. Obviously, only one of us can do that and I’m sure that whoever gets the nod, the other one will be breathing right down their neck.”
Kirkland concurred completely:
“Having the competition can only be a good thing and you only have to ask any goalkeeper the question.
“The fact that we have someone of the quality of Keiren in the building is a great positive as far as I’m concerned.
“He will certainly help bring out the best in me and hopefully I will do the same for him.
“I want to be playing week, in week out, and it will be the same for Keiren.
“We will battle it out and although they do say you have to be a bit mad to be a goalkeeper, we are all in the same union and we all stick up for each other.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge and looking forward to the season.”