We are going to start churning out home wins

Burnley approached Sheffield Wednesday for permission to speak to Brian Laws following the departure of Steve Cotterill but they turned us down. Despite continuing dialog with the South Yorkshire club we weren't able to receive that permission and instead appointed Coyle.

As he prepares to bring his Wednesday said to the Turf, former Burnley right back Laws said: "That approach from Burnley was then. Sheffield Wednesday is now. That is the most important thing and I want to beat Burnley.

"A manager wants support, and I got it from Wednesday. If people believe in what you are doing, it does make your job easier."

Looking forward to the clash, and casting an eye on the squad he might have taken over he added: "Owen Coyle has inherited a squad with quality. He has started off ever so well, but he hasn't found the formula right at home. A lot of Championship teams are having the same problem, for example West Brom, Watford and ourselves."

Coyle is just itching to get that first home win after presiding over the three away wins at Watford, Charlton and Wolves. "It is nice to be at home on Boxing Day," he said. "Regardless of what people might say about home form we want to be at home all the time because sooner or later we are going to start churning out home wins, I have absolutely no doubt about that and now would be an ideal time to start."

Injuries and suspensions have decimated the squad but the manager remains positive. "We have obviously got a lot of injuries and suspension, but that happens to everyone at some stage. It has probably come around at the wrong time of the year for us, given the number of games we have to lay, but we just have to get on with it. Whoever comes in has got to show that they want to stay in the team.

"It was a wonderful result at Ipswich and it sets us up for these two important home games, which we are looking forward to. We will need to take a look and see whether we have to change the system through the personnel."

On the injuries he added: "The backroom staff are working around the clock to get Clarke Carlisle and Alan Mahon back in, but we can't take the chance of pushing someone to play and risking them being out for three or four weeks. That would be detrimental to what we are trying to do at this club and I won't do that. We'll just have to keep our fingers crossed now and see what happens."