Really good. And if getting to Coutts-level legend status seems a stretch for some of this squad, see also to a lesser extent the turnaround for Kieron Freeman - had loan spells out, transfer-listed at the same time as Coutts, played a key role in that title winning team (and important supporting role in the promotion that followed). It’s never too late for a nice redemption arc.
Honestly, I think there's a grain of truth here. And it's sad to see that some of those who appear more interested in playing for their next move are some of those who you would hope for better from.
Many a time I've been sat in the kop, or scrolling twitter, listening to/seeing players who are undeniably good get slagged off for not doing everything perfectly. The problem is almost invariably the team, rather than the individual (notable exceptions apply, of course who were genuinely just rubbish, like Luke Thomas. And some players who were capable of brilliance in a very good team who were nonetheless disappointing, like Moose).
So it is right now. We have a lot of first teamers who'd rather take their chances out of a job in summer than commit to another grinding season in the championship next year (I've been resigned since October, but hopefully there aren't many Blades left who are only prolonging their own upset, and ruining the coming summer, by entertaining delusions of our survival in the Prem?), and are playing with all the passion of the guy in the office who knows he's leaving soon, and is just awaiting a start date for a new job.
Full disclosure: I always thought reappointing Wilder was a mistake. I still think giving him a long term deal was. If I were the prince I'd have given the job to McCall until the end of the season and been tapping up some young, up and coming, tactically innovative managers who've been doing well in lower leagues. And honestly, I truly believe that Wilder is the wrong man for the sour atmosphere at the moment. We saw last time he was here that for all the undeniable passion and unity he can create in a team that's doing well (especially one punching well above their weight against all the odds), he can also do the opposite when the chips are down and the team are underperforming.
What I would like to see, is a full reset next season. Sure, paying out Wilder won't be ideal, but I'd like to see a young manager (maybe one of the ones who just about fails to get promoted out of the champ this season, or alternatively Carrick, who must be fancying a go at a club with just a tad more money and willingness to not sell every player who was any good EVERY summer), to come in and assemble a squad around the core of players who are under contract. If we have to sell Anel then this all gets a little harder, and we may have to, but if not:
Build around Anel and Trusty, Hamer, Souza, T.Davies (who I think could be a massive player for us next season), Brooks, Osula and Jebbo, even Brewster if the poor lad can just manage to stay fit for more than 5 games. Give new deals to Norwood (however angry that would make about ½ of the fan base), Ozzy, Egan, and Bogle if we can't persuade Baldock to stay. Offer one to McBurnie but not being held to ransom (one good season out of five isn't the sort we should be rewarding with mega money), and Amissah (who's looked alright when he's played, and deserves a go at number 2. And assemble the rest of the squad as best we can. Ideally from new investment, but if not, use the one season of parachute money to give it a proper go.
Without new investment/ownership, and sticking to the same strategy that stopped working in 2020, only leads one way for me. That's the path that sees us in league one again before we're back in the Prem, and in all honesty, it's the one I believe we'll take instead of changing course.
Your advocation (?) for Carrick is nullified by "a club with just a tad more money and willingness not to sell every player who was any good". That's what got us in this mess now, not Hecky nor CW. Why has everybidy forgotten that CW has 2 LMA awards? There is nobody better who would come to us.
We are, I think, in a better position WITH Chris Wilder than say, with Slav or with Robson all those years ago. However, the financial picture is frightening. I don't blame the Prince for being in charge. But it's hard to imagine that our ceiling will be any higher than it was under PH during the promotion season - it just won't be.
On the one hand, obviously that's a big factor in exactly why we're in this position now. But on the other hand, it had been a while before last summer that we'd got rid of our all our best players without replacing them adequately.
I know we aren't exactly rolling in it, but we'll be in a better position financially next season than most mid table championship staple teams. Guaranteed sale of Archer for a pre-agreed amount (because really it's just an expensive loan to help villa fudge their books), one year of parachute money etc. yes, it means we have to do it next season or else it's likely never (without new owners), but that's a better place than Boro, who are consistently expecting to be better than the sum of their parts, and seem to sell their best players almost every summer.
I don't think Wilder's temperament will suit the younger squad we'll have next season. It worked so well last time because he assembled a squad of former journeymen and players who'd been written off, and he developed a siege mentality that had them all playing their best ever football. I'm not convinced he'll be able to engineer lightning striking twice.
I was trying to define to myself why I wasn’t enjoying turning up at Bramall Lane so much this season (apart from being out of our depth) and I now realise that it is – simply put – because I don’t really like anyone in the team (apart, I’ll confess, from Jack Robinson!). I just can’t warm to them somehow.
That 15/16 team (and the couple of years either side) worked well because you got the team spirit vibe, where they were playing ‘for’ each other as well as ‘with’ each other. Now, the players don’t seem to be a cohesive whole at all. I know a lot of it’s to do with injuries, losing some good players, etc, that doesn’t keep “one” set of players together, but you’ve summed up that ‘something else’ I couldn’t put my finger on . . . they don’t seem to play for enjoyment of the game. And without a strong captain (Sharp and Egan as examples) they seem a bit rudderless.
And I’m yet to be convinced that bringing back Chris Wilder was a good thing. We saw him at his very best between League 1 and the Championship with his exciting overlapping centre backs and the like, but I think he’s a bit world-weary now which (I’m humbly guessing!) probably doesn’t inspire the players all that much. I often think James McAtee must wonder what he’s come back into after the buzz of last season!
Really good. And if getting to Coutts-level legend status seems a stretch for some of this squad, see also to a lesser extent the turnaround for Kieron Freeman - had loan spells out, transfer-listed at the same time as Coutts, played a key role in that title winning team (and important supporting role in the promotion that followed). It’s never too late for a nice redemption arc.
Even Bash to some extent. Nobody would've predicted that he would become the legend he has.
Honestly, I think there's a grain of truth here. And it's sad to see that some of those who appear more interested in playing for their next move are some of those who you would hope for better from.
Many a time I've been sat in the kop, or scrolling twitter, listening to/seeing players who are undeniably good get slagged off for not doing everything perfectly. The problem is almost invariably the team, rather than the individual (notable exceptions apply, of course who were genuinely just rubbish, like Luke Thomas. And some players who were capable of brilliance in a very good team who were nonetheless disappointing, like Moose).
So it is right now. We have a lot of first teamers who'd rather take their chances out of a job in summer than commit to another grinding season in the championship next year (I've been resigned since October, but hopefully there aren't many Blades left who are only prolonging their own upset, and ruining the coming summer, by entertaining delusions of our survival in the Prem?), and are playing with all the passion of the guy in the office who knows he's leaving soon, and is just awaiting a start date for a new job.
Full disclosure: I always thought reappointing Wilder was a mistake. I still think giving him a long term deal was. If I were the prince I'd have given the job to McCall until the end of the season and been tapping up some young, up and coming, tactically innovative managers who've been doing well in lower leagues. And honestly, I truly believe that Wilder is the wrong man for the sour atmosphere at the moment. We saw last time he was here that for all the undeniable passion and unity he can create in a team that's doing well (especially one punching well above their weight against all the odds), he can also do the opposite when the chips are down and the team are underperforming.
What I would like to see, is a full reset next season. Sure, paying out Wilder won't be ideal, but I'd like to see a young manager (maybe one of the ones who just about fails to get promoted out of the champ this season, or alternatively Carrick, who must be fancying a go at a club with just a tad more money and willingness to not sell every player who was any good EVERY summer), to come in and assemble a squad around the core of players who are under contract. If we have to sell Anel then this all gets a little harder, and we may have to, but if not:
Build around Anel and Trusty, Hamer, Souza, T.Davies (who I think could be a massive player for us next season), Brooks, Osula and Jebbo, even Brewster if the poor lad can just manage to stay fit for more than 5 games. Give new deals to Norwood (however angry that would make about ½ of the fan base), Ozzy, Egan, and Bogle if we can't persuade Baldock to stay. Offer one to McBurnie but not being held to ransom (one good season out of five isn't the sort we should be rewarding with mega money), and Amissah (who's looked alright when he's played, and deserves a go at number 2. And assemble the rest of the squad as best we can. Ideally from new investment, but if not, use the one season of parachute money to give it a proper go.
Without new investment/ownership, and sticking to the same strategy that stopped working in 2020, only leads one way for me. That's the path that sees us in league one again before we're back in the Prem, and in all honesty, it's the one I believe we'll take instead of changing course.
Your advocation (?) for Carrick is nullified by "a club with just a tad more money and willingness not to sell every player who was any good". That's what got us in this mess now, not Hecky nor CW. Why has everybidy forgotten that CW has 2 LMA awards? There is nobody better who would come to us.
I (Sam) agree with this... to an extent.
We are, I think, in a better position WITH Chris Wilder than say, with Slav or with Robson all those years ago. However, the financial picture is frightening. I don't blame the Prince for being in charge. But it's hard to imagine that our ceiling will be any higher than it was under PH during the promotion season - it just won't be.
On the one hand, obviously that's a big factor in exactly why we're in this position now. But on the other hand, it had been a while before last summer that we'd got rid of our all our best players without replacing them adequately.
I know we aren't exactly rolling in it, but we'll be in a better position financially next season than most mid table championship staple teams. Guaranteed sale of Archer for a pre-agreed amount (because really it's just an expensive loan to help villa fudge their books), one year of parachute money etc. yes, it means we have to do it next season or else it's likely never (without new owners), but that's a better place than Boro, who are consistently expecting to be better than the sum of their parts, and seem to sell their best players almost every summer.
I don't think Wilder's temperament will suit the younger squad we'll have next season. It worked so well last time because he assembled a squad of former journeymen and players who'd been written off, and he developed a siege mentality that had them all playing their best ever football. I'm not convinced he'll be able to engineer lightning striking twice.
Well said. UTB.
An open letter – what a great idea, Sam.
I was trying to define to myself why I wasn’t enjoying turning up at Bramall Lane so much this season (apart from being out of our depth) and I now realise that it is – simply put – because I don’t really like anyone in the team (apart, I’ll confess, from Jack Robinson!). I just can’t warm to them somehow.
That 15/16 team (and the couple of years either side) worked well because you got the team spirit vibe, where they were playing ‘for’ each other as well as ‘with’ each other. Now, the players don’t seem to be a cohesive whole at all. I know a lot of it’s to do with injuries, losing some good players, etc, that doesn’t keep “one” set of players together, but you’ve summed up that ‘something else’ I couldn’t put my finger on . . . they don’t seem to play for enjoyment of the game. And without a strong captain (Sharp and Egan as examples) they seem a bit rudderless.
And I’m yet to be convinced that bringing back Chris Wilder was a good thing. We saw him at his very best between League 1 and the Championship with his exciting overlapping centre backs and the like, but I think he’s a bit world-weary now which (I’m humbly guessing!) probably doesn’t inspire the players all that much. I often think James McAtee must wonder what he’s come back into after the buzz of last season!
Anyway, there’s always hope for the future!
Sue.