The Dutchman has signed just three new players – one permanent – since taking the reins at Sheffield Wednesday in January.
Jos Luhukay has suggested that he did not foresee Sheffield Wednesday’s lack of summer signings.
Luhukay managed to get two loan players through the door – Michael Hector and Josh Onomah – in the final hours of the transfer window, after Wednesday spent all but two weeks of the closed season under an embargo.
The Dutchman was appointed as Carlos Carvalhal’s successor in January, but has yet to add to his one permanent recruit – Joey Pelupessy.
Speaking to Voetbal International in his native Netherlands, Luhukay said: “I didn’t see it coming.
“Other clubs gained £40- or £50-million in reinforcements. We have bought one player this year: Joey, for a modest amount.
“I am not the type that is going to complain, I am used to working with problems. At Hertha (Berlin) we had €45 million (around £40 million) debt. Then you cannot ask for five new players. But we became champions, with a record number of points.
“”Our team really needed rejuvenation last summer, but in the transfer market we could only hire some players.
“We decided to get eight boys from the youth academy. Of them there are four in the team for tomorrow (last week’s derby against Sheffield United). I think that is wonderful. Those players might never have had the chance.
“But you do not have stability with a young team.”
The Sheffield Wednesday chairman, Dejphon Chansiri, has already hinted that further issues could arise if the Owls fail to achieve promotion this season.
And unless money can be raised through the sales of key or high-earning players, Luhukay may have to get used to the struggles he faced this summer.
The 55-year-old has resigned from three of his five previous managerial roles, but suggested last week that he plans to continue at Hillsborough until his players ‘give me the feeling that I am not the right person in this chair’.
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