Sheffield Wednesday travel to Swansea City in the FA Cup fifth round a week today.
David Hirst wants Sheffield Wednesday to go out ‘all guns blazing’ in their FA Cup fifth round replay against Swansea City.
Wednesday held Swansea – managed of course by ex-Owls boss Carlos Carvalhal – to a 0-0 at Hillsborough on Saturday, and travel to the Liberty Stadium next Tuesday to determine which of the two teams will host Rochdale or Tottenham Hotspur in the quarter-finals.
Wednesday – without 15 injured or cup-tied players for Swansea’s visit, and with two league games in quick succession – made six changes against the Premier League outfit.
But according to Hirst – who scored for the Owls in the 1993 final – it could be in his old side’s best interests to field a full strength team in Wales.
“All guns blazing, Wembley bound, why wouldn’t you?,” the 50-year-old said during an appearance on The Ref Show. “I was very surprised [about the team selection].
“This was an opportunity, I understand we need to do well in the Championship, but a cup run’s a cup run. You get a chance now to play hopefully Rochdale or Tottenham, at home, and then obviously you’re a couple of games from the big one.
“But we also look at the Financial Fair Play – I mean Tottenham at Hillsborough, full house – surely that works. Moving forward, creating finances – surely that works?”
Sheffield Wednesday, who travel to Millwall on Tuesday and welcome Aston Villa in four days time, could be boosted by the returns of Tom Lees and Jordan Rhodes against Swansea.
But it remains to be seen whether or not any of their other injured players will be fit in time to face their former boss.
Meanwhile, it has been announced that the game will be scheduled live on BBC One.
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