Chris Wilder
Prince Abdullah’s interview revealed a lot about events behind the scenes this season and the fallout between Chris Wilder and the board, but also gave a nod towards how the club will operate next season under the new manager. The Blades owner heavily criticised Wilder’s recruitment at Premier League level and explained in detail his reasoning for wanting to see a ‘club-owned’ approach to that.
From next season, the man in the Sheffield United dugout will still have a big say in recruitment, but it won’t be a closed shop like before and he will have to be open to board involvement.
Prince Abdullah said “I needed recruitment to change and Chris to be more open-minded. When it comes to recruitment, it can’t be ‘my way or the highway’ every time. Recruitment should be a club-owned process, it shouldn’t be left to the coaches. Coaches come and go and then if it’s not a club-owned policy, it will lead to more changes. When we talk about recruitment, fans don’t see the players we missed on, like the players who were suggested by the board. Recruitment, I thought, we should be more open about it and should not be limited to one market. We should have more options.”
Prince Abdullah’s footballing confidant and Marcelo Bielsa’s former assistant manager at Marseille, Jan van Winckel, will be heavily involved in recommending players to the club as part of his role with United World. The new manager will need to be open to this approach. However, it was what the Blades owner said about the plan for next season that revealed a lot about the aim and ambition. The priority of Wilder’s replacement will be to deliver instant success and an immediate return to the Premier League.
Prince Abdullah said “I can assure you that our first purpose is to get back to the Premier League. Our intention is to keep the core of the team but if we have to sell a player and we don’t have a replacement, we will bring in a replacement. The Championship is not right for Sheffield United. I’m committed, as I’ve shown, as I have demonstrated with money not with words. I’ll do everything in my power to make Sheffield United successful.”
There has been no decision made on the man to lead United back to the Premier League, with HRH admitting the board want to see how the team performs under Paul Heckingbottom in the final nine matches. The fact he made reference to how well paid Wilder was is also an indication that the board will not shy away from wages if they feel they have the right man for the job.
Of the names mentioned so far, former Watford and Fulham boss Slaviša Jokanović is the one Blades fans have been most interested in. Sources close to the double promotion-winning manager have made noises recently suggesting he is keen to speak with the United board. However, the club have not yet spoken to the 52-year-old and he has not applied for the job. Whoever comes in will need to be able to deliver immediate promotion and be open to the club’s new way of working regarding transfers.
