Reach impressed for Wednesday in an unfamiliar role.
Former Sheffield Wednesday winger Terry Curran believes record signing Adam Reach will be a success at Hillsborough – regardless of where he plays.
Reach, for whom Wednesday are thought to have paid an initial £5 million, has spent much of his early Owls career at left-back, despite being a natural further up the left flank.
During Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw at Cardiff City, the 23-year-old was handed a surprise central attacking role Fernando Forestieri’s absence and appeared to flourish despite his unfamiliar surroundings.
Reach was arguably Wednesday’s biggest threat in South Wales – with four attempts on goal, two successful take-ons and 12 final-third passes to teammates – and was heavily involved in the build up to Daniel Pudil’s second-half equaliser.
Asked if he thought the ex-Middlesbrough man can succeed up front, Curran, who achieved hero status during his three years at Hillsborough, told Sheffield Live TV: “Yes.
“Going through the middle, you can go left to right, you say well you can go left to right on the wings, you can’t because they double up on you and they’ll treble up on you sometimes and they’ll force you back.
“I think players who’ve got good balance, good control, like Arsenal did with Thierry Henry – play them through the middle. I look at players who are capable of doing things on the ball, I would play them in their rightful positions, not (as) out of the way up-and-down players.”
Reach spent last season on loan to mid-table Preston North End and Curran added: “I do see him becoming a success. The more you can play with better players, the easier it becomes.”
Despite a bright start to his Sheffield Wednesday career, Reach is still awaiting his first goal or assist in blue and white.
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