STEVE Watson and Wade Small are back in the Owls squad for tomorrow's match at Cardiff.

Manager Brian Laws hails it as "excellent news" coming after Richard Wood made his comeback in the reserves and returned to contention.

Watson and Small have both missed three games with hamstring injuries.

Laws could bring back Watson into central midfield and switch Burton O'Brien from the centre - where he played at Derby - back to the left flank.

That would probably leave Etienne Esajas and Jermaine Johnson competing for the spot on the right, with Small perhaps more likely to be on the bench after his lay-off.

But the Owls manager pointed out that he has other options now that the squad is looking healthier, though still likely to be without Akpo Sodje.

"I've got some options. We're getting there, fitness wise, and instead of me having to include kids the bench should be stronger as well," he said.

He fielded two wingers, Johnson and Esajas, at Pride Park.

"It makes you more adventurous but you leak goals as well," he said.

"We'll take each game at a time. I won't be telling the opposition in advance what we're going to be doing. Let them find out for themselves on Saturday."

Laws maybe will be glad to focus purely in the game and preparations for it, after an eventful week.

Bids for Glenn Whelan from Plymouth and Burnley have been rejected; the Michael Johnson and Leon Clarke sagas have rumbled on; and Laws has been watching games and keeping in touch with the transfer market.

Can Wednesday hang on to Glen Whelan? Click here.

Burnley's offer for Whelan may well have been higher than the £200,000 that Plymouth are thought to have offered.

While giving no clue about the size of the bids, Laws said that Burnley's was "still not the required amount we are looking for".

He made it clear that there were two issues: firstly, the Owls would have to rake in enough money for them to land a replacement without weakening the team and, secondly any proposed move would have to be right in Whelan's eyes.

Laws added: "If the right one comes along, and it's the right money for Sheffield Wednesday, it might go further."

But he again pledged that the Owls will not sell on the cheap.

Laws dismissed claims that Everton were set to sign Frankie Simek.

"It's paper talk. Nobody from Everton has contacted me about Frankie," he said.

"He signed a new deal with us in the summer. He's happy here; he's going nowhere."

The Owls manager admitted that the chances of Leon Clarke joining Southend appeared to be dwindling by the day.

The striker is poised for talks about a loan to Oldham, where he had a spell last season.

The transfer rules prevent thim being sold to another club other than Southend, as he has had a long-term loan with them this season. But he can go on a short term loan to another side.

Wednesday were due to recoup from Southend the bulk of the £250,000 fee that they paid to Wolves for the striker until there was a hitch.

If Clarke is not sold, Laws admitted it would be "almost impossible" to fund a move for Michael Johnson from Derby back to Hillsborough.

Financial constraints dictate that any new signings at Hillsborough have to coincide with players going out.

Laws said that if Clarke ended up staying then "we'll put an arm around him and try to get him to play".

But the manager conceded the forward knew the fans had not taken to him and had not enjoyed his time with the club.

"If he's not enjoying his surroundings, he doesn't play his best football," he said.

The Wednesday manager said he was "working hard" on the player front.

"I'm spinning a lot of plates. You have to keep going back to them to keep them rolling. It's about ifs and buts and what happens if players leave," he said.

The Owls have also completed the signing of West Bromwich Albion midfielder, Ronnie Wallwork.

The experienced 30-year-old moves on a permanent deal until the end of the current season having been released by West Brom, subject to Football League clearance.

Wallwork, who started his career with Manchester United, has played the majority of his career in the top two divisions of English football with West Bromwich Albion.

He became the Baggies first signing after promotion to the Premier League in 2002 and was named Albion's Player of the Year in the 2004/05 season.

After five and half years with West Brom, Wallwork has been released from his contract at The Hawthorns, having spent the last three months on loan at Huddersfield Town.

Sheffield Wednesday manager, Brian Laws, said: "We have said recently that we need to move a player out before we can bring another one in. We have agreed to let Yoann Folly join Plymouth and we've been talking about Ronnie Wallwork coming here for some time."

Keeper Peter Enckelman has joined Cardiff on loan from Blackburn for the rest of the season but the Bluebirds are set to stick with Michael Oakes for tomorrow's match. with Wednesday.

TEAMS

CARDIFF: Oakes; McNaughton, Loovens, Johnson, Capaldi; Whittingham, Rae, McPhail, Ledley; Parry, MacLean or Hasselbaink (4-4-2).

OWLS (possible): Grant; Bullen, Hinds, Beevers, Spurr; J Johnson or Esajas, Watson, Whelan, O'Brien; Tudgay, Jeffers (4-4-2)