What Sheffield Wednesday players and fans can expect from Xisco Munoz

When Xisco Munoz, who was announed as the new boss at Hillsborough on Tuesday evening, led Watford to the Premier League, he did so in front of an almost empty stadium.

Covid restrictions had denied fans the chance to hail their heroes that season and so Xisco Munoz’s experience of crowds in English football can’t be one that he will hold that dearly.

Not long into his time in the top flight with the Hornets, Xisco was given the boot by the famously trigger-happy bosses at Vicarage Road with just two wins in the league notched up.

For a man known for his passion and energy, it must have been a source of huge disappointment not to have been able to revel in the good times and that’s something one of his former players wanted to see.

Speaking after securing that return to the Premier League following a promotion-winning campaign and the return of supporters to grounds, Troy Deeney had hoped those fans would get to experience the enthusiasm that the Watford players had seen. Sheffield Wednesday fans will now get that chance.

“He’s just that engaging type,” Deeney said at the time of Watford’s promotion. “So I’m pretty sure after five or ten minutes, when they give a song or ask for him to give them a wave, he’ll do that. He’ll also be smart enough to understand moments of the game and if he feels that the team need a pick up, I’m sure he’ll rely on the fans.

“I actually picture him just leading the crowd like an orchestra when he needs them, like: ‘time to go, come on’. I could just see him doing that. He’s a great guy, as I say, and I think fans could see that press obviously can see that, and I think fans will see that the more they see him.”

Deeney also gave an insight into why Xisco was so popular among the playing staff and perhaps what Wednesday players can expect from the 42-year-old when he rocks up at the training ground full-time.

“The biggest thing would be his man management, it’s been brilliant,” he said. “Talking to people, having conversations, uncomfortable conversations, with people who are not in the team - just how he’s handled that and I think he’s great.”