Former Sheffield Wednesday player Micky Gray has suggested that the Owls should be pushing for the play-offs this season under new boss Garry Monk, in an exclusive interview with Football League World Chief Editor Sam Rourke.

Monk was appointed as the Wednesday boss last week and takes charge with the side currently 11th in the table.

Gray, who made 44 appearances for the Yorkshire club, issued his verdict on the decision to hire Monk and what the new manager’s target should be for the 2019/20 campaign.

Speaking exclusively to Rourke, he said: “Garry knows that league. He’s been around the block now and he’s done a very good job in some of the roles he’s had.

“He’s been given an opportunity at Sheffield Wednesday, they’ve got fantastic support.

"I think they’re probably envious of the club that are just down the road from them and what they’ve achieved over the last two or three seasons.

“It is a hard one because you look at the sides in the Championship and you probably wouldn’t put Wednesday to go up in the top two.

“They’ve got to be optimistic and say to themselves ‘if we can get anywhere near those play-off positions and have given ourselves a chance then that’s probably a successful season'.

"I think that may be the target of Garry and the players.”

Gray added that Monk can take some positives from the Owls' current squad but that he will likely look to make additions in January.

He said: “What he has to do is wrap Steven Fletcher up in cotton wool because he has been injury-prone throughout his career.

“When you look at Steven, he is a talented player and he looks as though he’s got his confidence back. He’s scoring goals, whether that’s penalties or from open play.”

“So, Garry will pinpoint that as a positive but I don’t think you can forget that he has been given this squad.

“If they can stay around those play-off positions and get to January then maybe with a couple of additions he will feel confident going into the second half of the season that he’s got every chance of finishing in that top six.”

Monk’s first game in charge will see Wednesday face Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town, who will be led by new boss Danny Cowley for the first time.