Woodwardfan
Woodwardfan
- Banned
- #1
What sort of reputation have SUFC got in the world of football and in the eyes of potential player recruits and their agents?
1. Owners:
McCabe. Genuine supporter, strong character took on Premier League and won over Tevez affair. Highly committed but 'hire and fire' mentality, no longer has any perceived value for long term building blocks for a squad under one manager for the future.
The Prince: Unknown, Saudi-Arabian Prince who has invested a modest amount in today's terms and no sign of throwing money at the club. Do Saudis generally have a favourable image? Maybe not in human rights etc but yes in wealth,perhaps.
2. The Manager:
Wilder is a League 2 and non-league manager who has never got sacked and looks to build on sound values for the long term. Straight speaking, no 'airs and graces', simple approach to the game, socially popular in the game. Relatively modest record trophy-wise at modest clubs but career took off remarkably last season when his club Northampton were crowned run-away League 2 Champions in a season when their squad and staff were unpaid on occasions before a mid-season change of ownership of the club. A "modern manager on the upward curve" according to his new club owner. Maybe a seasoned manager who has eventually achieved some success, depends how a prospective player might look at it.
Wilder's previous club Oxford were also promoted and some credit is due to him for laying solid foundations there, though he was not universally popular during his spell at the club and a strong bond with the Oxford Chairman saved him his job at times.
Is there mileage in tagging on to the coat tails of the Wilder/ Knill duo in a rapid climb up the leagues? What is their style of football - modern, progressive?
3. Wage Budget.
Still amongst top 3 in the League due to size of the club but a definite tightening of the purse strings now offers incentives for success rather than high basic salaries; the chances of success are debatable after 6 years in L1 and an unprecedented turnover of the playing staff this summer. Inevitably all the new signings will take time to settle and the accent is on youth too, but there is the opportunity to get in there and be a 'main man' straight away.
4. Morale/ Crowd.
Known as one of the best and at the same time one of the worst home crowds in L1. Away teams are routinely told to keep the game tight for 20 minutes or so and the home crowd will get nervous and inhibit their own players by passing on anxieties.
Great to play in front of 20000 crowds when things go well but this crowd has been used and abused for almost a decade and has run short of patience and forgiveness. Big hope that the new manager/ Blades fan will bring the club together at all levels.
The away following is the best in the division and will back their players until things start going wrong and then they can really make their frustrations heard at some of these small club grounds with 3/4000 crowds.
5. Temporary home for placement of quality youth players on loan from higher leagues for personal development.
Wilder/ Knill reputation for young player development, teaching good habits in a 'modern environment'? I wouldn't know but fear not.
6. Sheffield as a place to live, good city, strong footballing culture, big ground to play at, great training facilities. Reasonable nightclub scene, not far from Manchester. Good local press and local radio, big football commitment
Players with ability get more than one offer and I hope Wilder has few problems attracting players but we are not exactly the club to aspire towards without any doubts are we? I sense Wilder will know his top 20 targets without really having to study too hard and I hope he gets good responses from at least 10 of them well before the pre-season friendlies start. In actual fact if a player knows his next home is League 1 there aren't any more attractive clubs or managers: Bradford/ Parkinson, Coventry/ Mowbray, Charlton, Bolton, Millwall/ Harris, Walsall, Rochdale, Southend, none any better I hope.
I think we are far from perfect but we are still the best opportunity in League 1 for any ambitious players who seek an opportunity at this level.
1. Owners:
McCabe. Genuine supporter, strong character took on Premier League and won over Tevez affair. Highly committed but 'hire and fire' mentality, no longer has any perceived value for long term building blocks for a squad under one manager for the future.
The Prince: Unknown, Saudi-Arabian Prince who has invested a modest amount in today's terms and no sign of throwing money at the club. Do Saudis generally have a favourable image? Maybe not in human rights etc but yes in wealth,perhaps.
2. The Manager:
Wilder is a League 2 and non-league manager who has never got sacked and looks to build on sound values for the long term. Straight speaking, no 'airs and graces', simple approach to the game, socially popular in the game. Relatively modest record trophy-wise at modest clubs but career took off remarkably last season when his club Northampton were crowned run-away League 2 Champions in a season when their squad and staff were unpaid on occasions before a mid-season change of ownership of the club. A "modern manager on the upward curve" according to his new club owner. Maybe a seasoned manager who has eventually achieved some success, depends how a prospective player might look at it.
Wilder's previous club Oxford were also promoted and some credit is due to him for laying solid foundations there, though he was not universally popular during his spell at the club and a strong bond with the Oxford Chairman saved him his job at times.
Is there mileage in tagging on to the coat tails of the Wilder/ Knill duo in a rapid climb up the leagues? What is their style of football - modern, progressive?
3. Wage Budget.
Still amongst top 3 in the League due to size of the club but a definite tightening of the purse strings now offers incentives for success rather than high basic salaries; the chances of success are debatable after 6 years in L1 and an unprecedented turnover of the playing staff this summer. Inevitably all the new signings will take time to settle and the accent is on youth too, but there is the opportunity to get in there and be a 'main man' straight away.
4. Morale/ Crowd.
Known as one of the best and at the same time one of the worst home crowds in L1. Away teams are routinely told to keep the game tight for 20 minutes or so and the home crowd will get nervous and inhibit their own players by passing on anxieties.
Great to play in front of 20000 crowds when things go well but this crowd has been used and abused for almost a decade and has run short of patience and forgiveness. Big hope that the new manager/ Blades fan will bring the club together at all levels.
The away following is the best in the division and will back their players until things start going wrong and then they can really make their frustrations heard at some of these small club grounds with 3/4000 crowds.
5. Temporary home for placement of quality youth players on loan from higher leagues for personal development.
Wilder/ Knill reputation for young player development, teaching good habits in a 'modern environment'? I wouldn't know but fear not.
6. Sheffield as a place to live, good city, strong footballing culture, big ground to play at, great training facilities. Reasonable nightclub scene, not far from Manchester. Good local press and local radio, big football commitment
Players with ability get more than one offer and I hope Wilder has few problems attracting players but we are not exactly the club to aspire towards without any doubts are we? I sense Wilder will know his top 20 targets without really having to study too hard and I hope he gets good responses from at least 10 of them well before the pre-season friendlies start. In actual fact if a player knows his next home is League 1 there aren't any more attractive clubs or managers: Bradford/ Parkinson, Coventry/ Mowbray, Charlton, Bolton, Millwall/ Harris, Walsall, Rochdale, Southend, none any better I hope.
I think we are far from perfect but we are still the best opportunity in League 1 for any ambitious players who seek an opportunity at this level.
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