Sometimes we need a bit of reality ⁹

[Bobby b]

Normally when teams get promoted to the Premier League they can't afford good experienced Premier league players at the right age, they usually go for either players on their way down or players on their way up who have promise, if 1 or 2 of those signings shine you may have a chance of staying up, if you do then you buy more players of promise, if you're really lucky and 1 or 2 of those shine as well then you could be on your way to becoming a Brentford or fulham, but if none of your signings are able to step up you end up where burnley and us are.The punts that teams from the middle of the league and upwards take are usually £30 million and have shone in la liga or serie A, and even they aren't certs.
As well as none of the signings being of the right quality can anyone say, even if you like them, are Heckingbottom and Wilder Premier league quality managers, in my opinion they're nowhere near even though I like or have liked both of them.
I don't know whether I will ever see United as an established Premier league team, for that to happen so many things have to come into line, we so nearly had it a couple of years ago but, whether it was bad luck or bad judgments it wasn't to be, so I think I will have to accept that we are a championship club that occasionally gets into the big time and treats those times as a bonus, and that is quite an optimistic frame of mind because no team is guaranteed championship football.

 

[Keen Blade]

Your sentiments are very close to my own - following dem Blades since 1968 , it is an almost inevitable conclusion.
But what has made me so dreadfully disappointed in the last 5 years is that , against the odds , we almost made it.
We were "a fluke injury to JoC and a nonsense signing of Brewster" away from surviving to a third season at the top table.
We had a real team spirit & style and after finishing 9th , I thought that we were in the PL for a few years
They say it's the hope that kills you.
Almost every decision during & since COVID has either been misconceived or subject to atrocious bad luck.
And we are now back in our box with a totally disjointed squad + no real money - all the joy of achieving 3 PL seasons is not only eradicated but has left us with nothing much to cherish.
So it's like being whisked up in a balloon ride and then dropped from a great height.
So my conclusion is forget about us ever becoming a PL side - let's get rid of the mercenaries (eg Souza) and get back to enjoying the development of the younger players , before they get whisked away to higher things.

 

[Bobby b]

Your sentiments are very close to my own - following dem Blades since 1968 , it is an almost inevitable conclusion.
But what has made me so dreadfully disappointed in the last 5 years is that , against the odds , we almost made it.
We were "a fluke injury to JoC and a nonsense signing of Brewster" away from surviving to a third season at the top table.
We had a real team spirit & style and after finishing 9th , I thought that we were in the PL for a few years
They say it's the hope that kills you.
Almost every decision during & since COVID has either been misconceived or subject to atrocious bad luck.
And we are now back in our box with a totally disjointed squad + no real money - all the joy of achieving 3 PL seasons is not only eradicated but has left us with nothing much to cherish.
So it's like being whisked up in a balloon ride and then dropped from a great height.
So my conclusion is forget about us ever becoming a PL side - let's get rid of the mercenaries (eg Souza) and get back to enjoying the development of the younger players , before they get whisked away to higher things.

I agree with everything you say, i also think you need a good few slices of luck to be a success in any league, the right players/manager/backroom staff and chairman all at the same time, you also need to keep injuries to a minimum but to achieve success in the top league that luck is X10.
In the short term we need to have a serious look at all the injuries we have had and continue to have because this level we are having isn't down to bad luck or players being injury prone, I don't know what it is but no team can ever be successful long term when your best players are out for months at a time

 

[Godbeblade]

Fulham got promoted and signed Willian (likely to be on massive wages compared to lower PL/Championship)

Forest went up and signed (well, everyone) but mainly Keylor Navas on loan from PSG who may not have been at the very top of his game but certainly a big name keeper.

Newly promoted teams signing big names on big money

As much as forest did cheat the rules, the prem these days almost demands that you to do so or flirt with the allowable limits. Luton Town gambled on giving Ross Barkley (probably) a big contract to keep them up. He's done OK but ultimately failed- not sure he'll stay with them for the championship.

If you try and penny pinch like united have done this year- you soon find out it doesn't work unless you strike gold multiple times

 

[John Street West Terrace]

The PL now is becoming a flawed product , other than the 3 different clubs coming up do you see the table changing much . City will win it again with ease .. then a few overhyped wannabes chasing 3 CL places ... and Bournemouth , Fulham , Forest , Brentford & Palace in with 3 newbies st the other end .
Boring & predictable now & the gaps will widen with points deductions replaced by fines as the PL shuts itself about a European / Saudi Sponsored Super League

 

[sjl]

So, to be fair are we suggesting we should forego the parachute money as it’s not fair on the teams in Championship and especially those teams coming up from league one?

 

[Yogi]

I think it can be done but a lot depends on the state of your squad when you’re promoted. If you’re promoted with a group of players entering their prime and still in the ascendency who are familiar with each other and your way of playing then you have a chance. Theoretically those players would still have room to grow individually and as a group if you couple that with canny recruitment to supplement what you have then you give yourself the best chance of having a stint in the prem.

If when you go up you’ve got a squad of players in their late 20’s and early 30’s playing at the peak of their careers then you’re facing needing to sign the premier league quality you need immediately rather than hoping you can further develop what you have and that’s very hard to do on anything like a reasonable budget so unless you’re very lucky in your recruitment you’re probably going to give it a decent go with some good results along the way but fall short.

If you’ve got promoted relying on loanees and old warhorses well look at us it’s not going to go well.

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

I never thought we'd stay up pretty much the day we got promoted last season, as Hecky had one set of tactics and one set of tactics only. If plan A doesn't work, stick with plan A, but bring on some baffling subs and take off the wrong players and it will definitely work now. That cemented it for me that Hecky was not the man to keep us up. It's why I raised the question should we sack him when we nearly blew a huge lead over Boro and let them get within touching distance when we went on that awful winless run. I knew Hecky wasn't cut for the Premier League. Football is a ruthless business.

Next came the rumours of him only getting £20mil to spend, the same amount Warnock was given back in 2007 when the league was nowhere near as rich as it is now, and that was considered a joke amount back then. This sadly proved true as we only spent bigger after Berge and Ndiaye were sold. Add to this tbe new contracts to Norwood, Fleck and Basham and things weren't shaping up well. On top of that Hecky was fighting tooth and nail for Sharp who, legend as he is, was largely insignificant in our promotion season and a failure over our two seasons in the Premier League. Sorry, but that's the truth. No disrespect intended to Billy.

The recruitment was poor and slow with lame excuse after lame excuse. The pre-season was horrendous with us resembling an amateur team who didn't know what they were doing.

Oh, and then injury after injury after injury wracking up as Hecky's reputation as some kind of serial maimer of players continued, not helped by his ridiculous rushing back into action of Norrington-Davies and Brewster, resulting in instant lengthy injuries.

Everything was gearing up wrong and relegation for me was all but confirmed before a ball was kicked.

Did the idea of relegation bother me? No.

What bothered me was the manner in which we got relegated. Goal after goal after goal after goal after goal conceded from set pieces from the first game to now, constantly from players going unmarked in the box. Was it Mark Hudson as we've continued with this long after he was dismissed?

What bothered me was the number of players who were putting in minimal to no effort in some games.

What bothered me was the way in which we'd often compete and look to be trying in games then as soon as we went behind the players just gave up. They just didn't care and they allowed teams to batter them.

What bothered me is that Bramall Lane became a guaranteed place to come and get 3 points as we were quite happy to roll over and give the win without a fight in our OWN FUCKING GROUND.

What bothered me was no culpability or statement from our coward of an owner who conned thousands of hard working fans out of hundreds of pounds for season tickets, knowing full well that the plan was to not even try to stay up. Reduce the ticket prices then.

My dose of reality is that I always expected us to get relegated. What I didn't expect was for us to lose our identity, our pride, our reputation and in many games our home fans by half time as we'd already been battered by then.

What's my dose of reality for next season?

Who knows. All I know is that I want to have some pride back and for us to play some bloody football for 90 minutes, win, lose or draw, because being honest, we haven't done that for two seasons as the majority of last season's matches were awful to watch. As Deadbat would often critique, we played well for a 20 minute patch where we'd batter teams, then for the rest we had no apparent or obvious style of play or recognisable tactics other than give it to Ndiaye.

I just want Sheffield United back.

 

[Younger Dryas Blade]

Bournemouth and Brentford are tiny clubs that are thriving in the EPL, they spend a lot of money when getting small gates, how are they not up for points deductions due to FFP?

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

Bournemouth and Brentford are tiny clubs that are thriving in the EPL, they spend a lot of money when getting small gates, how are they not up for points deductions due to FFP?

Brentford have made huge profits on player sales, for example Neal Maupay and Ollie Watkins, and no doubt this summer Ivan Toney. They are pretty much masters of turning stones into gold. I have nothing but respect and admiration for Brentford as they are a very well run modern football club. We're an old school relic of a club who talk a good talk but keep doing the same things and are petrified of change and progress.

As for Bournemouth, I genuinely don't know the answer to this one. Average gates of 15k which includes away fans. Nope. I'm lost.

 

[petcharlie]

I never thought we'd stay up pretty much the day we got promoted last season, as Hecky had one set of tactics and one set of tactics only. If plan A doesn't work, stick with plan A, but bring on some baffling subs and take off the wrong players and it will definitely work now. That cemented it for me that Hecky was not the man to keep us up. It's why I raised the question should we sack him when we nearly blew a huge lead over Boro and let them get within touching distance when we went on that awful winless run. I knew Hecky wasn't cut for the Premier League. Football is a ruthless business.

Next came the rumours of him only getting £20mil to spend, the same amount Warnock was given back in 2007 when the league was nowhere near as rich as it is now, and that was considered a joke amount back then. This sadly proved true as we only spent bigger after Berge and Ndiaye were sold. Add to this tbe new contracts to Norwood, Fleck and Basham and things weren't shaping up well. On top of that Hecky was fighting tooth and nail for Sharp who, legend as he is, was largely insignificant in our promotion season and a failure over our two seasons in the Premier League. Sorry, but that's the truth. No disrespect intended to Billy.

The recruitment was poor and slow with lame excuse after lame excuse. The pre-season was horrendous with us resembling an amateur team who didn't know what they were doing.

Oh, and then injury after injury after injury wracking up as Hecky's reputation as some kind of serial maimer of players continued, not helped by his ridiculous rushing back into action of Norrington-Davies and Brewster, resulting in instant lengthy injuries.

Everything was gearing up wrong and relegation for me was all but confirmed before a ball was kicked.

Did the idea of relegation bother me? No.

What bothered me was the manner in which we got relegated. Goal after goal after goal after goal after goal conceded from set pieces from the first game to now, constantly from players going unmarked in the box. Was it Mark Hudson as we've continued with this long after he was dismissed?

What bothered me was the number of players who were putting in minimal to no effort in some games.

What bothered me was the way in which we'd often compete and look to be trying in games then as soon as we went behind the players just gave up. They just didn't care and they allowed teams to batter them.

What bothered me is that Bramall Lane became a guaranteed place to come and get 3 points as we were quite happy to roll over and give the win without a fight in our OWN FUCKING GROUND.

What bothered me was no culpability or statement from our coward of an owner who conned thousands of hard working fans out of hundreds of pounds for season tickets, knowing full well that the plan was to not even try to stay up. Reduce the ticket prices then.

My dose of reality is that I always expected us to get relegated. What I didn't expect was for us to lose our identity, our pride, our reputation and in many games our home fans by half time as we'd already been battered by then.

What's my dose of reality for next season?

Who knows. All I know is that I want to have some pride back and for us to play some bloody football for 90 minutes, win, lose or draw, because being honest, we haven't done that for two seasons as the majority of last season's matches were awful to watch. As Deadbat would often critique, we played well for a 20 minute patch where we'd batter teams, then for the rest we had no apparent or obvious style of play or recognisable tactics other than give it to Ndiaye.

I just want Sheffield United back.

Wow mate i cant remember writing that .Thanks anyway you have read my mind .SPOT ON .

 

[petcharlie]

Brentford have made huge profits on player sales, for example Neal Maupay and Ollie Watkins, and no doubt this summer Ivan Toney. They are pretty much masters of turning stones into gold. I have nothing but respect and admiration for Brentford as they are a very well run modern football club. We're an old school relic of a club who talk a good talk but keep doing the same things and are petrified of change and progress.

As for Bournemouth, I genuinely don't know the answer to this one. Average gates of 15k which includes away fans. Nope. I'm lost.

THEY BOTH HAVE A REMARKABLE RECRUITING TEAM .They are ace at it where as we are shit at it .

 

[91stMinute]

Fulham got promoted and signed Willian (likely to be on massive wages compared to lower PL/Championship)

Forest went up and signed (well, everyone) but mainly Keylor Navas on loan from PSG who may not have been at the very top of his game but certainly a big name keeper.

Newly promoted teams signing big names on big money

As much as forest did cheat the rules, the prem these days almost demands that you to do so or flirt with the allowable limits. Luton Town gambled on giving Ross Barkley (probably) a big contract to keep them up. He's done OK but ultimately failed- not sure he'll stay with them for the championship.

If you try and penny pinch like united have done this year- you soon find out it doesn't work unless you strike gold multiple times

Penny Pinch or get your house in order to make sure you don’t go into administration or go under. I cannot believe it hasn’t sunk in yet amongst a lot of so called ”fans” on here.

 

[Tezza1889]

So, to be fair are we suggesting we should forego the parachute money as it’s not fair on the teams in Championship and especially those teams coming up from league one?

Don't be surprised of the parachute money has already been spoken for !

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

Don't be surprised of the parachute money has already been spoken for !

Buying up the land attached to the club, the hotel and the Dore sight. It's done?

 

[Tezza1889]

Buying up the land attached to the club, the hotel and the Dore sight. It's done?

I don't know, but I'd suspect it'll go the same way as the last two lots of parachute money..

I know we got an embargo cause we had no money..so it's going somewhere.

 

[sjl]

Don't be surprised of the parachute money has already been spoken for !

Probably pal.

 

[relish]

As for Bournemouth, I genuinely don't know the answer to this one. Average gates of 15k which includes away fans. Nope. I'm lost.

Gate receipts are such a small part of a PL club’s income that a small stadium is not much of a penalty nowadays. Bournemouth’s match day income in 2022/23 was £5.4 million out of a total revenue of £141 million. So even if they doubled the size of their stadium and averaged the same as us (30k) that would only take their total from £141 million up to about £146.4 million. Handy, but hardly a game changer.
The £123 million income they got from broadcasting is what really matters - and a bit of extra income from good player trading helps too. Gate receipts are hardly even a factor.
(Very different situation in the championship where broadcast income is much lower).

 

[UddersBlade]

Don't be surprised of the parachute money has already been spoken for !

I think we know it definitely has!

 

[Godbeblade]

Penny Pinch or get your house in order to make sure you don’t go into administration or go under. I cannot believe it hasn’t sunk in yet amongst a lot of so called ”fans” on here.

I fully accept we've penny pinched because of the situation we found ourselves in and believe it was the best option available to us (dont want to think about the risky options and their consequences ).

I was talking more generally though. Any team who thinks they can stay up without investing fairly heavily is a lot more optimistic than me- or has a very well drilled and groundbreaking way of playing (thinking of us with overlapping centre backs).

 

[loyalblade95]

Fulham got promoted and signed Willian (likely to be on massive wages compared to lower PL/Championship)

Forest went up and signed (well, everyone) but mainly Keylor Navas on loan from PSG who may not have been at the very top of his game but certainly a big name keeper.

Newly promoted teams signing big names on big money

As much as forest did cheat the rules, the prem these days almost demands that you to do so or flirt with the allowable limits. Luton Town gambled on giving Ross Barkley (probably) a big contract to keep them up. He's done OK but ultimately failed- not sure he'll stay with them for the championship.

If you try and penny pinch like united have done this year- you soon find out it doesn't work unless you strike gold multiple times

Not sure Andros Townsend will stay with Luton either, would expect them to make decent money on that Alfie Doughty and Adebayo though.

 

[Old Programme seller]

When we went up 2019/20 we did spend money far more than I ever thought we would but we also had a quite unique system which aided us considerably, this time around we’ve not spent the same and also we’ve been so predictable, Luton albeit spent less but had a more robust playing style and yes they have been relegated but they have fight.

 

[paul betts]

I think we know it definitely has!

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

When we went up 2019/20 we did spend money far more than I ever thought we would but we also had a quite unique system which aided us considerably, this time around we’ve not spent the same and also we’ve been so predictable, Luton albeit spent less but had a more robust playing style and yes they have been relegated but they have fight.

It wasn't the money we spent last time that kept us up as only McBurnie started regularly and he only scored 6 goals.

Momentum, a unique system, fitness and the players giving their all until the last minute, along with a solid defence and unbelievable goalkeeper kept us up.

We spent all that money and didn't really strengthen the team, we strengthened the bench and that was our ultimate downfall.

Our first eleven pretty much all season was the same eleven from the season before with the addition of McBurnie, Lundstram and occassions Mousset.

The following season we did the same only we had to replace Henderson. We signed bench warmers again instead of first teamers. When our formerly reliable and consistent players lost form, some of whom did so after the restart (ergo Fleck and Stevens), then we had no decent to call up, when we should have been forcing the likes of Fleck and Stevens to the bench with replacements and calling Fleck and Stevens from the bench. It was a recipe for disaster.

On top of that we finished 9th having scored 39 goals in 38 games, a worrying statistic, more so when we scored 2 or more goals on 9 occasions.

After I saw our "best transfer window ever" I predicted relegation as we hadn't signed anyone to strengthen the first team expect for Ramsdale and an expensive punt on Brewster.

The money we wasted over two seasons last time on the best part of around 15+ players who rarely played or were plain shite was diabolical. The fact our fans still trust Wilder to sign players this summer after those two windows and now Grbic blows my mind.

This clubs needs a director of football. I've said it since the season we finished 9th and I've said it every season since. But we won't because we're Sheffield United and we won't do things unless it's the Sheffield United Way, and that means doing what we always do because we don't like change. Hell, we brought in Jokanovic to rock the boat and bring a modern twist to our football, but then didn't back him in the transfer window in order to allow him to do it. We then panic signed players after he publicly slated the owner for lying to him about being able to sign players.

I'm not saying Jokanovic was great but we didn't exactly give him the best chance and pulled the rug out from under his feet before he could get going, having convinced him to come under false pretences. As for that shambles of a pre-season, don't even get me started.

Rant over......

..... sorry, what was the question again!

 

[Sheffsteel]

The PL now is becoming a flawed product , other than the 3 different clubs coming up do you see the table changing much . City will win it again with ease .. then a few overhyped wannabes chasing 3 CL places ... and Bournemouth , Fulham , Forest , Brentford & Palace in with 3 newbies st the other end .
Boring & predictable now & the gaps will widen with points deductions replaced by fines as the PL shuts itself about a European / Saudi Sponsored Super League

Agree it seems flawed but somebody is doing something right.

The Premier League and English football in general has never been as popular in the UK and especially abroad.
It's by far and away the most popular, richest league in the world and projections say it's going to get bigger.

Real, Barca, Milan and Juventus have seen the future and know that their league can't compete financially.
So those clubs are desperate to form a Euro super league to try and take on the might of the Premier League.

 

[UddersBlade]

It wasn't the money we spent last time that kept us up as only McBurnie started regularly and he only scored 6 goals.

Momentum, a unique system, fitness and the players giving their all until the last minute, along with a solid defence and unbelievable goalkeeper kept us up.

We spent all that money and didn't really strengthen the team, we strengthened the bench and that was our ultimate downfall.

Our first eleven pretty much all season was the same eleven from the season before with the addition of McBurnie, Lundstram and occassions Mousset.

The following season we did the same only we had to replace Henderson. We signed bench warmers again instead of first teamers. When our formerly reliable and consistent players lost form, some of whom did so after the restart (ergo Fleck and Stevens), then we had no decent to call up, when we should have been forcing the likes of Fleck and Stevens to the bench with replacements and calling Fleck and Stevens from the bench. It was a recipe for disaster.

On top of that we finished 9th having scored 39 goals in 38 games, a worrying statistic, more so when we scored 2 or more goals on 9 occasions.

After I saw our "best transfer window ever" I predicted relegation as we hadn't signed anyone to strengthen the first team expect for Ramsdale and an expensive punt on Brewster.

The money we wasted over two seasons last time on the best part of around 15+ players who rarely played or were plain shite was diabolical. The fact our fans still trust Wilder to sign players this summer after those two windows and now Grbic blows my mind.

This clubs needs a director of football. I've said it since the season we finished 9th and I've said it every season since. But we won't because we're Sheffield United and we won't do things unless it's the Sheffield United Way, and that means doing what we always do because we don't like change. Hell, we brought in Jokanovic to rock the boat and bring a modern twist to our football, but then didn't back him in the transfer window in order to allow him to do it. We then panic signed players after he publicly slated the owner for lying to him about being able to sign players.

I'm not saying Jokanovic was great but we didn't exactly give him the best chance and pulled the rug out from under his feet before he could get going, having convinced him to come under false pretences. As for that shambles of a pre-season, don't even get me started.

Rant over......

..... sorry, what was the question again!

Brilliant post!

We all knew we were goosed after The Prince failed to back Jokanovic & then sacked him after it was clear he’d been lied to. Potless Prince is so true. Until he sells up we are stuck in this cycle of selling any assets to survive. Problem escalates if we don’t produce have any good players left!

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

Don't be surprised of the parachute money has already been spoken for !

How come we always get the parachutes that don’t open…?

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

How come we always get the parachutes that don’t open…?

Because our is just a binbag and some string.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

Normally when teams get promoted to the Premier League they can't afford good experienced Premier league players at the right age, they usually go for either players on their way down or players on their way up who have promise, if 1 or 2 of those signings shine you may have a chance of staying up, if you do then you buy more players of promise, if you're really lucky and 1 or 2 of those shine as well then you could be on your way to becoming a Brentford or fulham, but if none of your signings are able to step up you end up where burnley and us are.The punts that teams from the middle of the league and upwards take are usually £30 million and have shone in la liga or serie A, and even they aren't certs.
As well as none of the signings being of the right quality can anyone say, even if you like them, are Heckingbottom and Wilder Premier league quality managers, in my opinion they're nowhere near even though I like or have liked both of them.
I don't know whether I will ever see United as an established Premier league team, for that to happen so many things have to come into line, we so nearly had it a couple of years ago but, whether it was bad luck or bad judgments it wasn't to be, so I think I will have to accept that we are a championship club that occasionally gets into the big time and treats those times as a bonus, and that is quite an optimistic frame of mind because no team is guaranteed championship football.

Pretty much summed up my 50 odd years as a Blade!

 

[biggiesablade]

What does the little 9 mean?