Those years between L1 and 9th in the PL are long gone and what a ride that was!
Let's not forget though that the success really wasn't just predicated on the manager, but having the triple energy of having a Blade as an owner, whatever you thought of Kevin McCabe, and Billy as skipper. It's unlikely that will ever happen again. That was simply incredible and drove that period of success too.
The reason for Chris's leaving the first time are still shrouded and protected, probably by NDA's. What he has said himself, is that he 'repaired his relationship with the owner', whatever that means, but we seem to easily gloss over that Hecky was still our manager and working under what must have been almost intolerable pressures at that very same time. A man who Wilder had worked closely with only a short time before. We cannot, and should not, only talk about the positives without balancing that with the, potentially uncomfortable, other truths.
Pragmatically speaking, the then owner was going through a rocky time with the fan base and needed a lift in that respect, at the same time that Wilder was looking for his next job option and having already done his ground work with the Prince. I'd love to read Hecky's thoughts on it all, a man striving, and who did brilliantly, to get us to the PL and, if rumours are correct, save us from a financial disaster. Some might say that a re-marriage of convenience was very helpful to both parties.
I posted before about Chris being too close to the club and too emotionally wrapped up in it. I want a manager capable of self control and clear thinking, not one who is the subject of avoidable negative media attention that is counter productive to what we are trying to achieve as a club.
What we saw on Saturday was avoidable. It's not his job to control another club's players while recent evidence from our own club's behaviour proves that he can't control ours either. His ramble and comments on another club after the derby game were avoidable too.
When one person becomes the negative story in an organisation, that is a huge problem. Our new owners will be taking a long, hard look at it and Chris is willingly putting himself 'in the shop window' for the wrong reasons.
When he came back, I hoped that he wouldn't tarnish the legacy that he left first time round. The simple fact is that this relationship cannot and will not go on forever. I get it that some want it to, some for personal and social connection reasons rather than professional realism, but this is hard business now. There is and can be little sentiment when we are trying to look forward to the future.
I don't know what the future holds, but he's had everything any Blades fan could want. IF there is a parting of the ways, I want him to do it right, professionally and by his own decision making. Maybe then, he can go out with his head up, 'take it head on' and go with pride through the front door.
For me, he stays to the end of the season and owns whatever happens. The new owners will (must) have had plans in place for going forward, whatever league we are in.
Interesting times ahead.
