Paul Heckingbottom says the Sheffield United players were ’emotional’ in the dressing room at full-time following the 5-0 thrashing at Leicester today. Asked to explain the events that have gone off,
Paul Heckingbottom replied: “I found out on Friday. We had a 23s game on Friday and I did that, got a covid test during the game and I had been waiting for the results back, which got confirmed yesterday. I had also been waiting for confirmation that Chris was going and I got the green light last night that Chris was going and that I was doing the game today. The owners put to me that Jason Tindall was coming in. I spoke to Jason but if I’m honest that was all in place. I didn’t know until last night that I was officially doing the game and I travelled down this morning. I would love Knilly to stay, he’s someone I respect massively and a big part of the success of this football club. The club has had to be doing things behind the scenes until they knew that I could officially do the game. That’s been going on since the discussions started Friday morning or whenever they were with Chris and the club. It’s a tough time, from a personal point of view I wasn’t working directly with Chris but he brought me to the club, but for everybody else in that dressing room he was a leader on a daily basis, who they shared a lot of success with and it’s the end of all that, it’s an emotional time for a lot of people. I feel a big responsibility for the players because I know where they are right now and I know what they are going through, but I can’t let them feel sorry for themselves because whoever the next manager is he will be watching performances. That today was a difficult one to watch, a difficult one to be involved in and an emotional dressing room to be in at the end and that has topped off a difficult week for a lot of people. Leicester were ruthless and the week has taken its toll and it’s the effects of that. The week and the emotions of it all, all of a sudden the occasion and the game became a lot bigger than what it normally is for these players. You could see that and it was visible in the dressing room after – it was not nice to watch from a distance, you’re stepping into it, I have been watching it same as you guys and how well they have been doing with Chris. Players are critical of themselves that it’s been coming, but I don’t think you can ignore the factors of this week and it’s evident in the dressing room. I spoke with Chris both on the phone and I have seen him personally and as you would expect he wants everyone to do well, he wants me to look after his football club – it’s his football club, don’t forget, and he feels a lot of pride and responsibility and he loves this place, he’s really supportive as you would expect and he is wishing all the players the best.”
