Josh Windass talks Sheffield Wednesday, Rangers mentality and ill-fated spell at Wigan

Sheffield Wednesday’s Josh Windass has revealed he is not in football to make friends.

The creative midfielder is the son of former professional Dean, who is famously one of only the few who has dared play for both Wednesday and arch-rivals Sheffield United.

Windass junior initially made the move from Wigan Athletic to Hillsborough on loan in January 2020 before making a permanent switch that summer.

He is unapologetic about the mentality which caused an ill-fated spell at the Latics, where Windass blames the mindset he took from Scottish giants Rangers for causing friction with his team-mates. 

He told SportsBoom.com: “Rangers changed my mentality fully. Looking back when I went to Wigan after Rangers it was my wrong.”

“I took that mentality to that place and I think it was wrong of me. Clubs expectations are different and that’s where I fell short during my time at Wigan. I had a Rangers mentality for a different club.

“When I went to Rangers it really changed my outlook on football and training. You’ve got to be at your best every single day. That came from the players that I was watching everyday who had that same mindset. “

“If you didn’t have that you would have been the odd one out.”

“I don’t go into any football team I’m in to make friends. Myself, my team mates, I want everyone to be the best they can be every single day to win for the team.

“Sometimes that can spill over and you can fall out with team mates and fall out with players. The intention is for everyone to be at their best and to win.”

Windass Fancies End Of Season Drama

Windass was thrown in at the deep end at Rangers with his first start a 5-1 hammering to Celtic.

And he wants another stressful end of the season for the Owls’ faithful fans, but hopes it is a play-off bid rather than a relegation dogfight.

Asked if there is a weight of expectation at a big club like Wednesday, Windass said: “When you play for a crowd that expects wins you know there’s an expectation.”

“Sometimes you play for a club and you’re drawing 0-0 and everyone’s happy. But when you’re drawing 0-0 here there are a few groans and a few boos. The expectation is to win games and as players you feel that.”

“It changes the whole mindset around a club and the mentality you have. We never start a season to finish 10th. If you get relegated you get relegated, and if you finish 10th you finish 10th. The start of the season the aim is to win.”

“It’s a crazy division. I was speaking to a friend who’s at another team in the Championship and you predict a result every week and it’s wrong.”

“It’s one of those leagues where if you’re not at it for a ten-minute spell you can get beat. I find a lot of away teams find it tough in those mid-week games.”

“It’s stating the obvious, but the teams that can find the best consistency in the division do the best. We want to be aiming to be one of those teams as the season goes on.”