Sheffield Wednesday: Rivals boss heaps praise on Owls

Carlos Carvalhal has turned Sheffield Wednesday into one of the Championship's great entertainers.
Jimmy Floyd HasselbainkJimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

That is the verdict of QPR boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in the wake of their 1-1 draw at Hillsborough on Tuesday.

Only second-placed Burnley have scored more goals than the Owls’ 50 in the second-tier and Hasselbaink was full of praise for their attractive style of play.

The Dutchman said: “If you come here to Sheffield Wednesday and you see the way they have been playing, they are very successful and turn it on at Hillsborough.

“They’ve only lost once all season at Hillsborough and rarely drop points. You know it is going to be hard and difficult. Wednesday are a very, very good side and we were under pressure. I really like how they play and go about things but we matched them.”

Atdhe Nuhiu’s header salvaged a point for the Owls after Daniel Tozser had given QPR the upperhand.

Hasselbaink said:“When you go 1-0 up, you would like to see the game out. But we couldn’t and that owed much to Wednesday and the way they fought back.

“They played well and they will be disappointed to have not got three points.”

The R’s boss argued they were unlucky to concede a penalty two minutes after half-time when Nedum Onuoha was penalised for bringing down Gary Hooper. Nuhiu fluffed his lines from 12 yards as Alex Smithies dived to his left to keep out his weak spot-kick.

Kieran Lee could also have been awarded a penalty in the closing stages after he tangled with Grant Hall.

“The first one was not a penalty and I didn’t see the appeal for a second properly,” said Hasselbaink.