Simek eyes more success - exclusive

Last updated : 17 May 2007 By Andy Parsons

Wednesday went into the last away game of the season knowing victory at title-chasing Birmingham would have given the club a real shot at a top-six finish when The Owls finished their home campaign off at home to Norwich.

But defeat by the ten-men Blues put an end to Wednesday's campaign, who finished ninth and four points off the play-offs eventually, although there's plenty of things to build on for next year according to the American.

"Last season was a success without a doubt," Simek told Footymad. "We have come a long way and at the start of the season we were at the bottom of the league and to be there and then just finish off the play-offs is something really cool but next year we will definitely be looking to push on and finish higher.

"You can look at the games what we lost especially six in a row in January and be a bit upset but its all ifs and buts. At the end of the day we have done really well to finish where we did."


The former Arsenal right-back, a revelation in only his second-full season of first-team football says that the methods Brian Laws brought to the club following the reign of Paul Sturrock was the turning point of Wednesday's campaign.


He said: "When Brian came in, he looked at the injury situation which was important. In some games remember we were only playing with one fit striker. But he has done really well and next year we'll do better."


Glenn Whelan won the official player-of-the-season award although Simek believes that the team as a whole should get more praise and not focus on individual efforts.


Simek added: "It's hard to pinpoint one player of the season, it's hard to single any one person out but there's been a few. You can look at Brunty and Whelan who have done well, the three strikers MacLean, Tudgay and Burton as well but it's been a really good team performance this season.


"We have scored more goals. I even got my goal for the season! But I think we are one of the only teams in the league to have four players on double figures and that makes it a lot easier when you are not relying on one person to score your goals for you and worrying about where you are going to get that goal from if that player has an off day."


Meanwhile, Wednesday were knocked back by Scunthorpe United yesterday in a bid to buy striker Billy Sharpe - The Owls reportedly offered £1.5million.