Hopes and fears ahead of the new season

As the summer window opens, it's time for the usual pre-season excitement and trepidation. Here, Tyrone James explains what he thinks might decide a season of ecstasy or agony

Tyrone James

As thoughts turn to a new season, and with the transfer window wide open (despite United yet to so much as dip a toe into it), I thought now would be a good time to preview my hopes and fears for the campaign ahead.

I should caveat this by saying things could look very different by the time we line up for another gruelling Championship season in mid-August. But, as things stand, here’s where I’m at.

Hopes

1. A Better Season

Surely we’re in for a better season than the last one… right?

Last season saw some brilliant highs and God-awful lows. That first win of the season at Oxford United, the last-minute winner away at Pompey, and, of course, brushing aside that lot with ease at Hillsborough on my birthday. The lows? Well, the first seven games of the season for a start, the Boxing Day battering at the STōK Cae Ras, or the late dropped points at home to the Swans which all but ended our faint play-off hopes.

That said, there was something quite nice about watching the end of the season shenanigans unfold without having to endure the usual heart palpitations and emotional trauma.

Boring? Maybe. Stress-free? Absolutely. That said, I’d give my left arm for us to be involved at the right end of things come next May.

2. The Return to Form

Ollie Arblaster and Tyrese Campbell. Two existing players who, if they can regain their form, will feel like new signings before we’ve even so much as flirted with anyone in the transfer market.

Arblaster has bags of potential, is one of our own, and surely will be in for a better season given his return to full fitness. And Campbell? Well, in his first season in red and white he looked every bit a solid upper-end Championship striker. A simple case of temporary form and permanent class? Who knows.

And then there’s Harry Souttar. I’m normally not a fan of bringing ex-players back, but it feels like there’s unfinished business there. His injury was cruel on both him and us at the time, and you wonder how that season would have turned out had he stayed fit. So, if the opportunity arises, we should absolutely be all over it. I also wouldn’t mind seeing a certain Kalvin Phillips getting another run out in red and white.

3. Chris Wilder

Chris Wilder is a Blades legend. It’s obvious, but it’s worth repeating. He dragged us out of the League One wilderness and took us all the way to a top-half Premier League finish. For many supporters – me included – it was the best period we’ve ever experienced following United.

Since then, well, it’s been a few genuine moments of brilliance and some core memories, contrasted with a couple of sackings, the manager having become somewhat a victim of his own success. Wilder 1.0 showed us what was possible; Wilder 3.0 is now somewhat cashing in the former’s credit.

Here’s hoping Wilder 3.0 recruits well this summer, trusts the players (those who choose to stay) and isn’t afraid to take the handbrake off when the situation calls for it.

Fears

1. Not Enough Quality

A spine of Cooper, Tanganga, O’Hare and Bamford is the foundation of a decent Championship side. But, as last season demonstrated, we’ll need considerably more quality than that.

It would be silly of me not to feel anxious about Andre Brooks departing prematurely, as he has done, but it’s no secret Wilder 3.0 didn’t fancy him. Shame. With one crown jewel already gone, I also expect Gus Hamer and Sydie Peck will depart for pastures new this summer, and whilst we should be commanding a huge fee for the latter, I’d be sad to see both go.

Our summer recruitment needs to improve the starting XI and provide competition from the bench. Every summer transfer window feels big, but this one is huge. One thing the better Championship teams tend to have is a settled side. Coventry City, Middlesbrough and Millwall supporters could probably have named the regular starting XIs of their teams week after week last season, and it’s that sort of consistency that gets you in the playoffs.

Once the transfer window closes, we will need to find our best team quickly, and stick with it.

2. Budget

We certainly don’t have a barrel of money. Have we ever?

This is the first season in a long time where we won’t have parachute payments to soften the blow.

That means rebuilding a squad with quality will be very difficult. As I mentioned earlier, we will almost certainly have to sell two or three of our valuable assets to balance the books, and it is critical we spend well with the little bit of pocket change we’ll get.

Like most Championship teams, I’m hoping we also use the loan market cleverly. There will be young, hungry, premium Premier League players available at some point and we need to make sure we’re first in line for them, as realistically there are players on our summer transfer shopping list that we’ll simply be unable to afford.

3. Chris Wilder… Again

Yes, somehow, Wilder manages to appear in both my hopes and my fears. My biggest concern is that he might have lost some of the spark that made him so successful in the first place.

Watching his pre- and post-match interviews towards the end of last season, there were times when he appeared increasingly frustrated and belligerent. Understandably so in some respects as the season drifted away from us, but it was definitely noticeable.

In fairness, he was quick to start talking about the next campaign and try to shift the focus forward, which was smart, but my worry is that we simply get more of the same, despite all the bullishness and supporter-pleasing soundbites. When we were good last season, we were very good. When we were bad, we were dreadful.

A consistent start is vital. Not just for our play-off ambitions, but for Wilder’s future too. Some supporters won’t want to hear it, but if we make a poor start, the mood will turn far quicker than many would like to admit. That’s probably blasphemy in some circles, but it’s also the reality we face.

As I said earlier, I hope Wilder 3.0 still has some of that magic left; the version capable of creating lightning in a bottle and making us all believe again.

Final Thoughts

All of this could look completely different by the time mid-August arrives. A couple of smart signings and the mood changes overnight. Equally, a quiet summer could make these concerns feel even more justified.

Right now, though, there’s a fairly even balance between optimism and uncertainty. Which, if we’re being honest, is probably the most Sheffield United thing imaginable.