The 28-year-old has struggled to find the back of the net recently.
Sheffield Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal has backed Gary Hooper to rediscover his best form in the near future, but insisted that he has still been pleased with the striker’s recent contribution, the Sheffield Star reports.
After a slow start to his loan spell at Hillsborough, the 28-year-old scored 10 goals in 10 league games to prove that he deserved a permanent switch to the Championship side.
However, since scoring against Brentford in February, the goals have dried up with the former Celtic man scoring just once in his last 11 appearances.
But Carvalhal has backed Hooper to get back to his ruthless best in the coming weeks, but added that he has still offered plenty despite the lack of goals.
“Gary received a kick and didn’t train too many times during that period,” he told the Star.
“But he is a dangerous player, even if he doesn’t score, to opponents. He links the attack very well and scores goals.
“I’m happy with him. He knows that he can do a little better. He’s doing okay.”
With the Owls set to finish sixth in the table – with six points separating them from both Derby in fifth and Cardiff in seventh – the Portuguese will be desperate for Hooper to find his best form in the coming weeks as it could have a major impact on whether Wednesday manage to secure promotion or not.
Though Fernando Forestieri has also been capable of finding the back of the net regularly this season, the strength of the defences that the side will have to get the better of if they hope to book a place in the Premier League means that they will need to be firing on all cylinders so will need Hooper to be at his best.
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