Sheffield Wednesday defender Tom Lees has claimed that Garry Monk's recent exit is "how the business works" but praised him for his impact during his tenure.

Monk was sacked on Monday after a little over a year in charge of the Yorkshire club and with the Owls one place off the bottom of the Championship – due in part to a six-point deduction.

The former Owls boss removed Lees as captain during the summer but the central defender bounced back and looked back to his best in the first few weeks of the campaign before injuries and suspension ended his run in the side.

Speaking to club media yesterday, the 29-year-old addressed the manager's exit and praised his impact.

He said: "Everyone’s been around long enough to know that that’s how the business works. Obviously, we all were right behind the last manager and his staff when they came in in the summer. I personally really enjoyed working with him, so I’m very grateful for what he did for me while he was here."

A string of familiar names have been linked with the vacant role at Hillsborough but recent reports have suggested that Tony Pulis is close to taking charge.

On the arrival of a new manager, he said: “Now we have to focus on a team and stick together. Whoever comes in, we have to take on board what he wants, and stick together as a group and make sure that we get some better results.

“But one thing from the last manager and his staff, what he built, was the togetherness, the positivity and attitude. We have to take that forward no matter who comes in.”

Wednesday will likely want to have their new manager in charge ahead of their next game, which will see them travel to Deepdale to face Preston North End next Saturday.

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The Verdict

It appears that despite losing the captaincy, Lees remains fond of Monk and is thankful for the impact that he had during his tenure.

The 29-year-old looked back to his best in the early part of the campaign and will no doubt be hoping to return to that level under the new manager.

Monk has been unlucky at Wednesday but it's hard to argue with the decision made by the club hierarchy, particularly given their dreadful goalscoring record.