Barry Bannan makes feelings clear after Ali Al-Hamadi’s Sheffield Wednesday post

Barry Bannan reacts as Ali Al-Hamadi opens up on Sheffield Wednesday injury frustrations

Ali Al-Hamadi has shared an honest update on his difficult start to life at Sheffield Wednesday, with captain Barry Bannan among those to respond to the striker’s latest social media post.

The Iraq international joined the Owls on loan from Ipswich Town during the summer transfer window as part of a major squad rebuild under new owner David Storch. However, his time at Hillsborough has so far been disrupted by injuries and a lack of consistent playing opportunities.

Wednesday brought in 18 new players over the summer, but Al-Hamadi has struggled to make the desired impact since arriving in South Yorkshire.

The Owls have also experienced an inconsistent campaign in League One. They currently sit ninth in the standings, two points outside the play-off positions, having managed just two victories in their last nine league matches.

The club recently parted company with Henrik Pedersen before appointing former Stockport County manager Dave Challinor as his successor. Challinor is preparing to take charge of his first match in Sunday’s FA Cup meeting with Oldham Athletic.

However, the new manager could be without Al-Hamadi for the opening stages of his tenure after the forward suffered another injury setback.

The 24-year-old has yet to score for Wednesday and has made only eight appearances since his summer arrival. His sole start came in the 2-0 defeat to Doncaster Rovers last month, which proved to be Pedersen’s final match in charge.

After previously missing games because of a foot problem, Al-Hamadi was absent from the squad for Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Blackpool because of another injury.

Interim manager Matt Hamshaw subsequently indicated that the striker could face several weeks on the sidelines, providing another frustrating setback for a player hoping to establish himself at Hillsborough.

Al-Hamadi also endured injury difficulties during his loan spell at Luton Town last season, where he recorded one goal and one assist in 14 appearances.

Despite his latest setback, the forward appears determined to return to action and make a meaningful contribution to Wednesday’s campaign.

Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Al-Hamadi admitted that his recent weeks had been disrupted by a lack of continuity but insisted that he continued to work hard towards returning to the pitch, helping his teammates and achieving the club’s objectives.

His honest message attracted considerable support from supporters and fellow players, with the post receiving more than 16,600 likes at the time of writing.

Among those who showed their support was Wednesday captain Barry Bannan, whose reaction added to the encouraging response surrounding the striker’s update.

For Al-Hamadi, the immediate priority will be recovering from his latest injury and getting back to full fitness. With a new manager now in place, a successful return could give him another opportunity to establish himself and play a bigger role in Sheffield Wednesday’s push up the League One table.