Sheffield Wednesday are repeating Leeds United trick and reaping the rewards | OneFootball

Liam Cooper has been outstanding in the Owls' League One campaign so far

There is a certain irony to Liam Cooper becoming one of Sheffield Wednesday’s most important players at the age of 35.

Much of the focus surrounding the Owls this season has been on building for the future, yet it is the former Leeds United captain who has quietly become one of Henrik Pedersen’s most reliable performers.

Cooper has started five of Wednesday’s opening six League One matches, and his recent displays suggest the veteran defender is proving that experience still has considerable value.

In doing so, the Owls are seeing a familiar trick pay dividends.

Liam Cooper has become a key Sheffield Wednesday player

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Cooper’s influence was particularly evident during the Owls’ 2-1 victory over Wycombe Wanderers, when Wednesday were forced to defend for long periods after falling behind early.

The centre-back completed 21 defensive contributions, including 16 clearances, three interceptions, 10 successful duels and a blocked shot.

It was the sort of display that demonstrated exactly why Pedersen has trusted him with an increasingly prominent role.

That form continued against Wigan Athletic on Saturday. Cooper completed his first 90 minutes since February, helping Wednesday record their first League One clean sheet of the season.

He made five clearances, three interceptions, two blocks and six recoveries, while winning the only tackle he attempted.

The numbers underline his consistency.

Sheffield Wednesday are getting the Leeds United version of Cooper

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There is a useful precedent for what Wednesday are currently asking of Cooper.

At Leeds, he was not another experienced centre-back - he became captain, a dressing-room leader and eventually an important figure in Marcelo Bielsa’s promotion-winning side.

His career at Elland Road was not without difficult periods, but his evolution under Bielsa showed how valuable the right experienced defender can become when given responsibility.

Cooper ultimately captained Leeds to the Championship title in 2020, having been selected in the PFA Championship Team of the Year that season.

Wednesday are now benefiting from a different version of the same player. He does not need to be the centrepiece of the team, but his experience can help organise a defence of players at very different stages of their careers.

That is particularly relevant given the instability at centre-back early this season. Injuries have prevented Pedersen from settling on a consistent partnership, making Cooper’s leadership all the more valuable.

The Owls may ultimately want to reduce the average age of their squad, but that does not mean experience has to be sacrificed. Cooper provides a bridge between those two objectives.

Sheffield Wednesday will face a selection headache at centre-back

The challenge for Pedersen will come when everyone is available.

Wednesday currently have Cooper, Gabriel Otegbayo, Sil Swinkels, Ricardo Santos, Ernie Weaver and - eventually - Di’Shon Bernard competing for places in central defence.

That is a significant amount of depth for a League One squad, particularly with Bernard now back on the pitch after 582 days out.

Bernard completed the planned 45 minutes for the Under-21s against Charlton Athletic on Sunday, providing another major boost to Wednesday’s defensive options. His return will be carefully managed, but he is expected to become part of the first-team picture again.

Weaver is also building his fitness after a lengthy absence, while Santos is still adapting and Swinkels is recovering from a hamstring problem. Otegbayo, meanwhile, has remained available throughout the opening six league games.

There will be legitimate competition for places as the season develops.

Yet Cooper has given Pedersen a problem he will probably be happy to have. His minutes need to be managed sensibly at 35, particularly across a demanding League One campaign, but his performances will make it increasingly difficult to justify leaving him out at all.