"Heeds to be hastened" - Sheffield Wednesday urged to take Barry Bannan action amid contract uncertainty | OneFootball

FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit has given his verdict on whether the club can continue to rely on captain Barry Bannan.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan is facing an uncertain future at the club with his contract set to expire this summer.

Bannan helped Wednesday to a top-half finish in the Championship this season, but he is one of a host of senior players who are out of contract this summer, along with the likes of Pol Valentin, Michael Ihiekwe, Marvin Johnson, Stuart Armstrong, Anthony Musaba, Josh Windass, Anthony Musaba, Callum Paterson and Michael Smith.

The 35-year-old joined the Owls on a free transfer from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2015, and it is fair to say that he has established himself as something of a club legend at Hillsborough over the past decade.

Bannan scored four goals and provided six assists in 45 appearances for Wednesday this season, showing that he still possesses plenty of quality despite entering the latter stages of his career, and he has frequently stated that he is keen to stay at the club for the remainder of his playing days.

However, with Owls manager Danny Rohl reportedly set to leave the club this summer, any decision over Bannan's future could be delayed until a successor for the German is appointed.

Sheffield Wednesday urged to plan for life after veteran midfielder Barry Bannan

When asked if the club can continue to rely on Bannan, FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit Patrick McKenna insisted that the midfielder could still have many more years ahead of him at Hillsborough, but he urged the Owls to put a succession plan in place for the Scot's eventual departure.

"The succession plan for Barry Bannan needs to be hastened," Patrick said.

"This is because Shea Charles is going back to Southampton now, and he's going to be a great loss to our midfield, while Stuart Armstrong's deal was a short-term one.

"You're looking at a pretty bare midfield.

"I could spend ages and ages reiterating how brilliant Bannan has been for Sheffield Wednesday, but we cannot keep relying on him every year.

"This is something that should have been in place already where we are getting in some younger players to ease the pressure on Bannan.

"There are still a few more seasons left in Bannan as a Wednesday player, but the reliance on him has to be passed on to others.

"I don't know the exact medical diagnosis, but he was injured at the end of last season, and if that is going to carry into the new season, it might be a further wake-up call that Bannan might not be able to play 46 games a season anymore.

"Getting a succession plan for Barry Bannan really has to get underway."

Given that Bannan has been the heartbeat of their team for the last decade, Wednesday will be reluctant to even consider the possibility of his departure, and the fact he continues to perform at such a high level means that the club have been able to kick the can down the road when it comes to forming a succession plan.

However, Bannan was carrying an injury towards the end of the season, which could be a sign of things to come as he enters his mid-30s, and while he still has plenty to offer at Championship level, there is a chance he may start to become less effective as his career progresses.

Of course, finding a replacement for Bannan will be no easy task for the Owls, but rather than waiting until the midfielder decides to call time on his Hillsborough stay, the club should be proactive and begin the search for a possible successor to him immediately.