Teenage striker Bailey Cadamarteri is being considered for involvement in Sheffield Wednesday’s South Yorkshire derby clash with Rotherham United.
That’s according to Owls manager Danny Röhl, who has welcomed the youngster into first team training in recent days and has been impressed by his output in under-21 outings this season. Wednesday have struggled to score goals this season – they have five in 13 league games – while Cadamarteri has been in excellent form with the club’s second-string.
The son of former Everton forward Danny, the 18-year-old was named on the bench by his under-21 boss Neil Thompson – then caretaker boss of the seniors – in Wednesday’s goalless draw with Huddersfield Town earlier this month. With Röhl now at the wheel, it is up to Cadamarteri to press his case for an EFL debut, which could even arrive on Sunday.
“I have seen his video on the coach as we were coming back on the coach from Plymouth and he was with us today (Friday) in the training session,” he said. “It’s important that he is closer and closer to the squad and also tomorrow (Saturday) if he trains well then he is an option for the weekend for us.”
Asked directly whether Cadamarteri was under consideration for involvement in Sunday’s Hillsborough clash, Röhl said: “For sure. He has scored many goals, he has assists, he has pace and speed and is an attacking forward. These are the things that we need. If the training is good then we have the option to take him for the first team for sure.”
Röhl spoke of his satisfaction at the strides Wednesday have taken in his very early stages at the club, particlarly going forward. Despite a 3-0 defeat at Plymouth Argyle on Wednesday, vast data metrics showed progression in the attacking areas. Finishing chances is now a topic high on the Owls agenda.
The German coach said: “It’s a big part of the game, if you want to score you must have good finishing. This is what we train, we train in small games and practice after the training. But we must work always to create something. This is what we see, what I have seen in the past and it is a big step forward for us now.
“We have to try it every single training session and every match. The players are trying a lot of the physical parts, if you see the data now from before I arrived here, it is a big step forward. The counter-pressing is more dangerous for the opponent. On Sunday we must be very strong if we lose the ball and in this situation we can create something. It’s about doing this again and again and again.”
