Dublin-born O'Connor, 28, joined Wednesday on a Bosman transfer last month after making over 100 appearances in three seasons at Burnley.

The combative midfielder was offered a new deal at Turf Moor but fancied a change, subsequently signing a three-year contract at Hillsborough.

Manager Brian Laws quickly followed the signature of O'Connor with the unveiling of his second summer signing, highly-rated Chelsea youngster Jimmy Smith on loan.


O'Connor, capped by the Republic of Ireland Under-21s, is impressed with Wednesday's squad and set up but won't go shouting rash predictions from the roof tops.

A "quiet chap", O'Connor will save his biggest expressions for the football pitch.

"This is something I try not to do, to start stating publicly what we are going to achieve," said the Irishman.

"I'm sure as a group that we'll sit down and set our targets for the season and what we hope to do, but I'm quite a quiet chap and I like to do the talking on the pitch rather than say this or that.

"I'm sure we'll let our football do the talking and the main thing is that it leads to a successful season at Sheffield Wednesday."

O'Connor's signature is a huge boon for Wednesday, the midfielder having made 126 appearances for Burnley and proving a key cog in the Turf Moor side.

It's little wonder Burnley wanted to keep him, but O'Connor insists it was time for a change.

"I was there for three seasons plus. I went on loan and then came back," said the midfielder. "I just felt it was the right stage of my career to make a move."

O'Connor has no regrets, he is highly impressed with his first few training sessions with Wednesday and insists that a closely-knit squad will stand the Owls in excellent stead.

"We're back training and it was good to get going," he said.

"It's been very interesting coming in with the training and the lads have been great – there's a very good spirit indeed here at this club.

"You can see there's good players there, there's good ability and if that ability can be matched with hard work then we're on to something for the future.

"For the players as a group we are all looking forward to a good season.
"I'm really impressed with everyone, there's a good family atmosphere and that always helps on the pitch."

Now well settled after two weeks of training, O'Connor will get the perfect chance for team bonding next week as Wednesday depart for their pre-season tour of Holland.

Based in Heiloo, the Owls tackle HFC Haarlem on Tuesday before a clash with Stormvogel Telstar two days later.

Short and sweet, Wednesday then return home on Friday ahead of next Tuesday's trip to MK Dons.

O'Connor feels Laws has planned the trip to Holland to perfection.
"I think that's a really good exercise for the team and it's good to go away and strengthen together," he said.

"I think it's the prefect amount of time as well as it's not too long. Sometimes these tours can be too long and people get a little bored, but this is Monday to Friday which will suit everyone."

After the MK Dons clash, Wednesday visit Bury on Saturday, July 26 and Chesterfield the following Tuesday before their final friendly at home to Wigan on Saturday, August 2 (3pm).

Before you know it, August 9 will be here and there's no prizes for guessing Wednesday's first opponents, bearing in mind O'Connor's recent move from Turf Moor.
"I just had to smile," said O'Connor. "It's incredible how things work out.
"but I'm just looking forward to the season and it just so happens that the first game is against Burnley – we had to play them at some point.

"The main issue from my point of view is that we are successful at Sheffield Wednesday and it starts on August 9."

O'Connor insists there will be no room for emotion against the Clarets and the midfielder is a dab hand at playing previous clubs having taken on Stoke and West Brom while at Burnley.

The only thing that matters to O'Connor is three points for his new club against his former team-mates.

"I've gone back before and played against old clubs and the important thing from our point of view is that we are winning," he said.

"I tend not to think about the past, my future is at Sheffield and three points will give us a good start.

"We'll shake hands and everything at the end, but as long as we get three points we'll be happy."

Ends