Something that Warnock got right.

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The_Green_Man

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Adkins came in and spoke of a "united together" club in which everyone would pull together for the common cause, but for all of the talk I think we are yet to see this on the pitch. The distinct lack of passion that the team have for the club and for one and other is staggering and upsetting.

I spoke to Warnock at Bramall Lane not all that long ago and I asked him about the characters in the dressing room such as Kozluk who I heard to be quite a character. Warnock didn't single any particular players out and simply explained that he had a cracking bunch of lads who all wanted to play for one and other, to play for him and to play for Sheffield United and that is one of the main factors behind the success at the club during his time as manager.

He used to have the lads putting the work in on the training ground but encouraged regular group activity and team bonding as well whether it was golfing or white water rafting. He also welcomed friendly competition between the lads away from the football pitch.

As egotistical as some Blades fans, neutrals and pundits think Neil Warnock is, you can't argue that he is prime example of a natural leader. He encourages personality within the ranks and a great deal of his footballing ethos
was to build a proper "team". Not just a team of individual footballers but a team of footballers who relied upon one and other on the pitch equally as much as they thrived from playing alongside one and other. A team with players who would run from one end of the pitch to the other in order to confront anyone who dare to commit wrongdoing against team mates. A team with spirit and determination that was equal to if not far greater than actual ability.

The flying V celebration earlier in the season isn't enough to convince me that this team have anything near to what Warnock instilled into the minds of his troops.

Passionless, Spineless, Soulless, Ball-less................
 

He used to have the lads putting the work in on the training ground but encouraged regular group activity and team bonding as well whether it was golfing or white water rafting. He also welcomed friendly competition between the lads away from the football pitch.

........

They just went to Dublin, that seems to have turned out well
 
Pretty much sums up how far we've sunk. The club didn't need to come up with empty soundbites like 'The Blades Way' or 'United Together' under Warnock. We had that spirit anyway, and it was naturally developed within the team and instilled by the boss.

The attitude among this bunch of twats we have now is rotten. The way they interact (or fail to) on the pitch suggests that they wouldn't piss on each other if they were on fire. I'm actually at the point now in which I love the club but detest the team.
 
I think there are more splitters within the United camp than the 'Free Syrian Army'...
 
The_Green_Man I think you have a big point and I agree what Warnock built was quite special. Same with Bassett.

In defence of Adkins he's not had too much time and he's perhaps restricted somewhat in moving players on. He's also been very fair to the players here already and he's trying to give everyone at least a chance. We also only see things from the outside.

So now i come to the negatives. I expected Adkins to bring in a leader, a bit of a twat, but someone that could be respected within the squad. Ideally a centre half, captain, like Morgs. However, the Duncan Ferguson, Bradshaw's of this world can work elsewhere on the pitch. He's brought in Billy, a cracking signing in many ways, but not a leader. We needed a leader for every game as well.

I feel now that this "not one leader, but a team of leaders" approach has caused nothing but agro. What Adkins needed to do was bring in his own man and give him the armband. There is seemingly a boys club at the lane. Whats the best way to shake that up? Bring in a new man and letg the Alpha male hierachical battle work itself out.

Adkins needs to start disciplining players. The approach to discipline looks shocking.

Bassett and Warnock allowed players to have freedom, but they would come down hard once anyone stepped out of line.

Warnock moved Hayles on, Clough moved Butler on, this summer, the board shouldve got rid of the dross, then allowed Adkins his chance to manoevre. He shouldn't have had to be giving clean slates, he shouldve had the squad that the club handed over to him. Too much water has passed under the bridge with many. Phipps' commented that Clough reduced values of players by playing them inconsistently. Write the value off and get what you can for them, thats football. Give Adkins a chance to bring his own players in without baggage.

I think Adkins' nice and considered approach has backfired completely. He's often too theoretical, too simple and too bloody soft.

Best thing he can do now is start playing the best players but the ones with some fire in their belly. The rest? I'd seriously drop them to the U21's and bring in the U21 as a replacement.

No time for fannying about quoting historical teachings, start talking straight and direct.
 
The three best periods in my time as a Blade have been the John Harris, Dave Bassett and Neil Warnock eras. Each set of players from all those times bonded together on and off the pitch. The players seemed to have 100% respect for their respective managers.

The apparent behaviour of some of our current bunch seem to indicate there is a lack of respect for the present manager.

But there we are. I suppose we should be grateful it's not as bad as our times in the Fourth division.
 
Players at all clubs have a Christmas party successfull teams or not,so making out this is a jolly that's undeserved is nonsense .
Young men having a traditional party is just as it is.
If it has got out of hand that is something the club has to deal with,but let's not go overboard they picked and I imagine it was sanctioned by
Adkins at a time which was the best available due to our match scedule. Put it to bed and move on!! Bring on Oldham.
 
I'm not sure you can really compare Harry with modern managers. Managers had a lot more power in those days, pre-Bosman. Our players weren't millionaires and as Wally knew, mess with Harry and you're back on your fruit and veg stall.

And as much as I like Warnock, it took him years to get us promoted.
 
I'm not sure you can really compare Harry with modern managers. Managers had a lot more power in those days, pre-Bosman. Our players weren't millionaires and as Wally knew, mess with Harry and you're back on your fruit and veg stall.

And as much as I like Warnock, it took him years to get us promoted.
You're right, of course. It seems that Phipps et al didn't like the way clough wanted complete autonomy on football matters.

Didn't Harry even pay some of Hodges transfer fee/ wages or something like that
 
When I hear Adkins, it seems as though he talks of it as just a 'job'. Yes I know he will go eventually but he uses terms like "it's important for Sheffield United Football Club". and not terms like "it's important for our club". He seems to want to stay detached and distant. Which may work for him but will it work for us long term?
 
I think if you skip to 22:09 you'll better understand the type of manager Warnock was. It's a weird identity we had then, but the team were a great group of lads and its only 10 years ago but when a stranger asked "Who's your best player?" "Who's your favorite?" etc. it wasn't a hard question to answer, actually pisses me off now that we have a bunch of wankers who would probably accept a 1 week fine or deselection to miss out on a team bonding exercise that didn't involve booze or shitty city center nightclubs.

 
You're right, of course. It seems that Phipps et al didn't like the way clough wanted complete autonomy on football matters.

Didn't Harry even pay some of Hodges transfer fee/ wages or something like that
I think he paid something, can't remember what.
 
Amazing. When Warnock was here he got criticised by a fair proportion of our supporters but now he's a god.

I'd guess round 2005 30% wanted him out and another 50% wouldn't have minded if he'd been sacked.
 

He got nothing right..he was an egotistical know nowt bigged up by himself as the saviour of the club when all he was fit for was picking up dog eggs...
 
Amazing. When Warnock was here he got criticised by a fair proportion of our supporters but now he's a god.

I'd guess round 2005 30% wanted him out and another 50% wouldn't have minded if he'd been sacked.

I thought he was going to go in 2005.
 
I think if you skip to 22:09 you'll better understand the type of manager Warnock was. It's a weird identity we had then, but the team were a great group of lads and its only 10 years ago but when a stranger asked "Who's your best player?" "Who's your favorite?" etc. it wasn't a hard question to answer, actually pisses me off now that we have a bunch of wankers who would probably accept a 1 week fine or deselection to miss out on a team bonding exercise that didn't involve booze or shitty city center nightclubs.



26 mins on the nose.

Morgan comes flying out the dressing room, shoves someone out the way and runs to get involved.

Who'd do that if it happened on Saturday I wonder?
 
26 mins on the nose.

Morgan comes flying out the dressing room, shoves someone out the way and runs to get involved.

Who'd do that if it happened on Saturday I wonder?
Baxter, but only if he's pissed.
 
I also remember many hating Warnock. We sometimes played terrible kick and rush football and he always blamed the ref or the pitch etc.

His style was very similiar to Steve Evans. Big up the opposition pre match, then if we won he'd be really complementary to the opposition but if we lost he blamed the officials, the pitch, whatever but he never blamed himself or apologised.

Also I remember he was given a target to keep us in PL but yet again he failed.

His position had become untenable and the board would have looked mugs and unambitious if he'd have been kept in place after failing.

Another issue was that McCabe had massive ambitions to rule the world and make SUFC a sexy brand. Warnock wasn't popular with the FA or the public at large. So he wanted a big name. I believe the 2 front runners were Kenny Dalglish and Brian Robson, 2 legends of the game known world wide.
 
Warnock was able to create great unity in the squad and lift a number of average players to play above themselves.

Adkins is aiming to achieve similar but he seems keen to offload players before he can get there. He managed to create great togetherness at previous clubs and I think he can still achieve it here but not with some of these players.
 
Warnock is always going to split opinions amongst the fans, his football wasn't always attractive however eventually he did deliver us to the promise land and yes he did get found out as such in the top flight but never the less he achieved quite a bit during his time in charge. I didn't start this thread to debate his overall ability as a manager because that debate has been done time and time again and it always becomes a bit messy due to differences in opinion.

I am a firm believer in "man management" and for me Warnock had this in abundance to the extent that you will very rarely hear of a player who has played for the manager bad mouth him, in fact you always hear quite the opposite and not only in football but in most occupations it is usually evident that a happy workforce are generally a more productive one.

Outside of the premier league I feel that professional footballers are able to make up for a lack of technical ability with passion and determination, any players who are able to apply the two week in, week out are the ones who make it to the top flight. Warnock flirted with a bit of quality from time to time but he also liked a few honest workhorses around the camp as well and overall he got the balance perfect in the respect that he created a solid unit.

You only have to watch the video above to see that the squad were "tight" so to speak. Kevin Muscat nuts Paddy Kenny and you hear his team mates in the background saying that they will have him after the match. Now I am not promoting violence in any, way, shape or form but if players are willing to have eachothers back off the pitch then they are more than likely to have eachothers backs on the pitch.

Warnock was a bit part of it all and deserves a great deal of credit for it. He had regular team bonding sessions away from football and like to have a good laugh with the lads wherever he could, flip the coin though and if the lads stepped out of line on or off the pitch and he would hit them like a ton of bricks. Never the less though the players respected this.

In the respects of a proper "Team", I don't think we have had one at Bramall Lane since Warnock departed.
 
The team in that video compared to the team now...

And the problem with the board is shown at around 30min. When Warnock is asking for a new striker. 'We could try to get Duncan Ferguson, that'd excite the crowd', with Warnock's reply of 'it's someone who will fire us to the premier league that we want!'
 
The team in that video compared to the team now...

And the problem with the board is shown at around 30min. When Warnock is asking for a new striker. 'We could try to get Duncan Ferguson, that'd excite the crowd', with Warnock's reply of 'it's someone who will fire us to the premier league that we want!'
Who's the one sat to his right who interrupts him?
 
Adkins came in and spoke of a "united together" club in which everyone would pull together for the common cause, but for all of the talk I think we are yet to see this on the pitch. The distinct lack of passion that the team have for the club and for one and other is staggering and upsetting.

I spoke to Warnock at Bramall Lane not all that long ago and I asked him about the characters in the dressing room such as Kozluk who I heard to be quite a character. Warnock didn't single any particular players out and simply explained that he had a cracking bunch of lads who all wanted to play for one and other, to play for him and to play for Sheffield United and that is one of the main factors behind the success at the club during his time as manager.

He used to have the lads putting the work in on the training ground but encouraged regular group activity and team bonding as well whether it was golfing or white water rafting. He also welcomed friendly competition between the lads away from the football pitch.

As egotistical as some Blades fans, neutrals and pundits think Neil Warnock is, you can't argue that he is prime example of a natural leader. He encourages personality within the ranks and a great deal of his footballing ethos
was to build a proper "team". Not just a team of individual footballers but a team of footballers who relied upon one and other on the pitch equally as much as they thrived from playing alongside one and other. A team with players who would run from one end of the pitch to the other in order to confront anyone who dare to commit wrongdoing against team mates. A team with spirit and determination that was equal to if not far greater than actual ability.

The flying V celebration earlier in the season isn't enough to convince me that this team have anything near to what Warnock instilled into the minds of his troops.

Passionless, Spineless, Soulless, Ball-less................

Get the sentiment but everything looks brilliant when you are winning. I don't remember thinking at any time as a blade "well we are getting tonked but at least they look like they are playing for each other". Success breeds spirit as much as spirit breeds success.
 
When Warnock is asking for a new striker. 'We could try to get Duncan Ferguson, that'd excite the crowd', with Warnock's reply of 'it's someone who will fire us to the premier league that we want!'

^^This entirely


Ive got a feeling that McCabes had too much say since Warnock left on transfers on wanted ones that he thought would put bums on seats rather than what the manager wanted to complete the squad
 
The three best periods in my time as a Blade have been the John Harris, Dave Bassett and Neil Warnock eras. Each set of players from all those times bonded together on and off the pitch. The players seemed to have 100% respect for their respective managers.

The apparent behaviour of some of our current bunch seem to indicate there is a lack of respect for the present manager.

But there we are. I suppose we should be grateful it's not as bad as our times in the Fourth division.

Each time they have bee given time to stamp their authority at the Lane, the fans have got like McCabe and got sack happy... NA needs at least 3 transfer windows the get rid of the shit...
 
I also remember many hating Warnock. We sometimes played terrible kick and rush football and he always blamed the ref or the pitch etc.

His style was very similiar to Steve Evans. Big up the opposition pre match, then if we won he'd be really complementary to the opposition but if we lost he blamed the officials, the pitch, whatever but he never blamed himself or apologised.

Also I remember he was given a target to keep us in PL but yet again he failed.

His position had become untenable and the board would have looked mugs and unambitious if he'd have been kept in place after failing.

Another issue was that McCabe had massive ambitions to rule the world and make SUFC a sexy brand. Warnock wasn't popular with the FA or the public at large. So he wanted a big name. I believe the 2 front runners were Kenny Dalglish and Brian Robson, 2 legends of the game known world wide.
Guaranteed NW would've got us back up with the budget Robson was given
 

If the question was Whether Warnock would have been a long term solution then the answer would have been a no.

But if we had been managed but him in any of the four previous seasons we have be down here then we would now be back in The Championship of that I have no doubt.
 

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