Given way the season finished, Jamal Lowe believes Sheffield Wednesday should be pushing for promotion sooner rather than later.

The Jamaican international made a daring claim. Given that his new team wasn’t safe from relegation until the final game of the season, when a win against Sunderland secured their survival, it’d be a surprise if Wednesday finished at the top of the league next season.

There is considerable credibility to what he said. To avoid relegation, the Owls needed form reminiscent of top Championship teams, and Danny Rohl guided them to one of the greatest escapes.

They’ve already made a number of additions this summer. Lowe is one of only eight new players to join the team since their visit to the Stadium of Light in May.

He, Yan Valery, and Max Lowe all have Premier League experience, as do Olaf Kobacki and Svante Ingelsson, who are unknown but tantalizing prospects.

The only addition they are aware of is returning keeper James Beadle, who is on loan at Hillsborough for the season. However, there is no assurance that he will be available for the entire campaign.

After the 2023/24 season, Owls fans would not be unreasonable to believe that their young German manager can achieve anything, and Lowe believes he can lead the team to great things, including a return to the top.

Jamal Lowe’s Sheffield Wednesday promotion claim
The 29-year-old believes Wednesday can strive for a return to the top division for the first time since the millennium began.

“100%,” Lowe told Rob Staton, when asked if the Owls are in a position to compete for a top-tier finish. “With the management and the support he is receiving from above, with the players he already has and the ones he is bringing in, I don’t see why not.

“I know everyone who was in the building previously is looking to improve on what they accomplished last year. If the season had only been that, they would have finished in the top six from the time he arrived to the conclusion.

That simply shows you that the capability exists, and as you’ve seen in the window, he’s made a number of signings, which should only help them advance further.”

The play-offs would be an incredible accomplishment for Wednesday.
People would have thought you were insane if you had mentioned Wednesday being in the top six around Christmas last year, but it only goes to show how hard Rohl has worked to turn things around at Hillsborough.

It is a legitimate conversation that will take place in EFL and Championship circles, and it is because of the management.

Now, discussing the possibility and achieving it are two very different things. The play-off pack will be highly competitive next season.

If, and only if, Wednesday find themselves in the hunt in the latter parts of the 24/25 season, it would be one of the most amazing comebacks in recent second-tier history, and it will almost certainly get Rohl a Premier League position if he wants one.