Sheffield Wednesday captain Tom Lees has indicated that the Owls squad will not have spent much time thinking about the club's EFL charge and suggested that it is not the cause of their drop in form.
Garry Monk's side were competing near the top of the Championship in November and looked as if they may be competing for a play-off place this season.
However, a slump in form saw them win just two of their 14 league games before the delay to the season and slide down to 15th in the table.
In December, the EFL had charged Wednesday over financial misconduct relating to the sale of their stadium.
They're still awaiting a decision over the charge but it is understood there could be serious consequences, including a points deduction, fine or transfer embargo.
Speaking to the Sheffield Star, Lees suggested that the EFL charge is not to blame for the drop in form and hinted it will not have been something the squad were thinking about.
He said: “I don’t think so at all, and I’m not just saying that because it’s the ‘right’ answer, but if you think about what a player does, what they’re thinking about, it doesn’t really cross into their routine… The routine of a player is purely focused on how am I training every day, what’s my approach, my mentality, and preparing for the weekend.
“I personally, and I think the others would agree with me, when would you ever a sit down and say, ‘I wonder how the finances of the club are going?’. When there’s been talk of a points deduction, that’s nothing you can control, but that’s the only thing that would affect us – and you can’t live your life thinking about what ifs, and if anything that should spur you on because you need to have in the back of your mind that you need to have those points in the bag.”
Lees has been in and out of the starting XI this term due to injury and the performances of both Julian Borner and Dom Iorfa – featuring just 23 times in the Championship.
Quiz: Have these 15 current Sheffield Wednesday players been capped at senior international level? – Yes or no? Have a go now!
The Verdict
The EFL charge certainly seems to have been hanging over Wednesday for some time but it is interesting to hear Lees dismiss it as a factor in their poor run.
The Owls captain could easily have used that as an excuse but he deserves credit for not looking to do so.
There have been suggestions that Wednesday could be facing a 21-point deduction, which would see them drop into the relegation places. With that in mind, it is going to be very interesting to see how things develop.