Is Chris Wilder our Best Manager

[Sheffsteel]

Something to think about.

The other week I was chatting to someone in a senior position at the club and like this thread I was also giving gushing praise of Chris Wilder, saying he’s the best manager we’ve had in my lifetime.

I was told that Wilder receives the praise but it’s his back room staff that do much of the good work but they go under the radar.

Apparently it’s Alan Knill that does most of the tactics not Wilder, although of course Wilder has the final say.

Also apparently Steve Bettis and Paul Mitchell are doing some fantastic work too regards recruitment and policy, again Wilder usually has the final say.

Also the fitness, rehab, physio team deserve massive praise because we’ve hardly picked up any injuries in the past 3 years.

Wilder is a team with his backroom staff and that’s why he’s quick to praise them during his interviews.

 

[BushBlade]

Something to think about.

The other week I was chatting to someone in a senior position at the club and like this thread I was also giving gushing praise of Chris Wilder, saying he’s the best manager we’ve had in my lifetime.

I was told that Wilder receives the praise but it’s his back room staff that do much of the good work but they go under the radar.

Apparently it’s Alan Knill that does most of the tactics not Wilder, although of course Wilder has the final say.

Also apparently Steve Bettis and Paul Mitchell are doing some fantastic work too regards recruitment and policy, again Wilder usually has the final say.

I think the clue is in the word ‘manager’. Fergie didn’t coach much either.

 

[Speedracer]

I think that what happens around us in our formative years form deep impressions that last a lifetime. I started attending The 'Lane properly in the 1968/9 season so for me John Harris has always stood out as the one for me. The team he assembled was capable of ridiculously expansive beautiful football, every players name is quite literally a Sheffield United legend, Hodgy, Woody, the imperious TC, they were like rock stars to me & I couldn't get enough of them. If that team played to it's full potential they they would win, simple as, & it was capable of hitting greater heights than any team I have seen since; but it was also inconsistent, & was a small squad that suffered when injuries came along, & was also allowed to get old with no new blood coming through, so I saw my first example of my club falling down the leagues & I didn't like it one bit!

There have of course been some good years since, but for whatever reason it all felt like it was built on shifting sand to me; I didn't like us being referred to as "plucky little Sheffield United", or a "long ball" team, how dare others condescend us! But when CW/AK took over it just felt like everything started falling into place. We had a long way to go to get to where I wanted us to be but with a new found impetus we started the journey back to "where we belong", but this particular revival had a totally different feel to ones before it; we established an identity, a progressive way of playing, instilled values into every fibre of the club, we had substance as a club once again, each challenge being met head on & defeated before moving to the next. The best is almost certainly yet to come with CW/AK in charge, incredible to say given our past, but we have taken our place in the top division with no cap doffing to anyone, no apologies for our style of play, in short no quarter given, or asked.

Oh yeah, is CW our best manager? Too right.

 

[Paulus]

Do bears crap in the woods?

 

[metalblade]

Is Chris Wilder our best manager? It all depends how old you are I suppose.
I started going to the lane in the early 60's so as far as I can remember John Harris was part of the furniture as manager. I saw the last days of Joe Shaw and Doc Pace but we had a fantastic set of players coming through, Woodward, Jones, Birchenhall, Badger to name a few as ever two top players were sold and we were relegated. Harris moved to general manager but came back to run the team after a season. In a few years he built a great team who got promotion and took the first division by storm playing classy football. He never had money to spend really most of his signings came from lower teams or through the ranks.
Still #1 for me.

Dave Basset, came to us when we were on our way down to the third division again. No money to spend as usual but next season he got us promoted and the season after did it again. I wouldn't say the football was pretty to watch but the all out attack gerrit forrad style was exciting and he kept us mid table in division one/premiership. He warned the board that selling Bryan Deane would result in relegation and it did. #2 for me.

Chris Wilder comes very close to these two managers, the football is as good as anything the Harris side produced and tactically I think he outshines both. Basset only ever knew route one. The present team is more organised, disciplined, fitter and they can play a bit. The Premier League is not just made up of the best UK players it is a global brand where you find most of the worlds best players, that is what this team is up against and a mighty fine job they are making of it. Given time Wilder will better both Harris and Basset.

No mention of Warnock it took him 8 years to win promotion to the Prem, a league where he has never managed to keep a team for more than one season. Championship certainly is his level, don't get me wrong we had some great times with Warnock but he will never be anything other than a very good 2nd rate manager, but I suppose he will say that's the ref's fault

 

[guancheblade]

The money in football now means it is very hard for Wilder to achieve most of the things you mention, I’m not saying he can’t achieve them because he can but to do what he’s done with the budget he has had compared to others is nothing short of unbelievable, taking us from the basement of league one to 6th in the Prem, in his time here, on the budgets he’s had compared to others is nothing short of a miracle in footballing terms.

For you to say “he’s done alright” is probably the biggest umbrage dealt out to Wilder and his back room staff in his whole spell here to date.

If the worst thing did happen and Wilder left for pastures new you can bet your bottom dollar that a lot of the players would want to go with him, it would be a catastrophe for us and I’ve never once felt that way about a Blades manager, that’s a credit to the unbelievable job he’s doing.

The board shenanigans haven’t helped and other than making the board members stand up and listen to him around the time of the Hull away game he’s just brushed it to one side and got on with it, brilliant management. He seems to know how to handle every situation, an incredible management attribute to have.

His recruitment in general has been very good and even the ones he gets wrong he’s not stubborn (another great attribute of a good manager to have) and gets rid or takes them out of the team pronto, fan fucking tastic.

Unfortunately for us he will manage England one day, I’ve no doubt about it, not one other top Blades manager has ever achieved that? this is another reason why he’s the best ever.

I've always felt he would go onto manage England and who knows, bring it home for good this time!

(but not after securing consecutive Champions League titles with the mighty Blades first!)

 

[Niceguyeddie]

Something to think about.

The other week I was chatting to someone in a senior position at the club and like this thread I was also giving gushing praise of Chris Wilder, saying he’s the best manager we’ve had in my lifetime.

I was told that Wilder receives the praise but it’s his back room staff that do much of the good work but they go under the radar.

Apparently it’s Alan Knill that does most of the tactics not Wilder, although of course Wilder has the final say.

Also apparently Steve Bettis and Paul Mitchell are doing some fantastic work too regards recruitment and policy, again Wilder usually has the final say.

Also the fitness, rehab, physio team deserve massive praise because we’ve hardly picked up any injuries in the past 3 years.

Wilder is a team with his backroom staff and that’s why he’s quick to praise them during his interviews.

Think most of that goes without saying but its natural that the figurehead takes all the praise

 

[Niceguyeddie]

Is Chris Wilder our best manager? It all depends how old you are I suppose.
I started going to the lane in the early 60's so as far as I can remember John Harris was part of the furniture as manager. I saw the last days of Joe Shaw and Doc Pace but we had a fantastic set of players coming through, Woodward, Jones, Birchenhall, Badger to name a few as ever two top players were sold and we were relegated. Harris moved to general manager but came back to run the team after a season. In a few years he built a great team who got promotion and took the first division by storm playing classy football. He never had money to spend really most of his signings came from lower teams or through the ranks.
Still #1 for me.

Dave Basset, came to us when we were on our way down to the third division again. No money to spend as usual but next season he got us promoted and the season after did it again. I wouldn't say the football was pretty to watch but the all out attack gerrit forrad style was exciting and he kept us mid table in division one/premiership. He warned the board that selling Bryan Deane would result in relegation and it did. #2 for me.

Chris Wilder comes very close to these two managers, the football is as good as anything the Harris side produced and tactically I think he outshines both. Basset only ever knew route one. The present team is more organised, disciplined, fitter and they can play a bit. The Premier League is not just made up of the best UK players it is a global brand where you find most of the worlds best players, that is what this team is up against and a mighty fine job they are making of it. Given time Wilder will better both Harris and Basset.

No mention of Warnock it took him 8 years to win promotion to the Prem, a league where he has never managed to keep a team for more than one season. Championship certainly is his level, don't get me wrong we had some great times with Warnock but he will never be anything other than a very good 2nd rate manager, but I suppose he will say that's the ref's fault

There's been plenty of mentions of Warnock

 

[Silent Blade]

In Keith Edwards’ book he says that John Harris did very little football coaching so it’s not comparing like for like with CW etc. More modern managers do a very different job.

Did he really say that? Harris was no longer our manager in December 1973 as he took an "upstairs" role. Edwards came to us in 1975

 

[benn5712]

Nicholson never coached the team, George Waller and Jack Houseley (and later Harry Johnson snr) were the trainers. The football committee along with the club captain selected the team . The captain decided on tactics (just like the cricket captain does). Nicholson was only responsible for signing players, arranging contracts and secretarial duties. I have not seen any evidence that he gets involved with trainings, talking tactics and I am not even sure if he was part of the football committee that selected the team. Our first manager was Teddy Davison in 1932

I used to work with Teddy Davison's nephew many years back. He had a couple of trial games in our reserve team.
Worked with his great great(I think that's about right) nephew up until a few years ago.

 

[metalblade]

There's been plenty of mentions of Warnock

By others not from me I don't rate him very much

 

[Niceguyeddie]

By others not from me I don't rate him very much

No shit !

 

[Jermyn]

I think that what happens around us in our formative years form deep impressions that last a lifetime. I started attending The 'Lane properly in the 1968/9 season so for me John Harris has always stood out as the one for me. The team he assembled was capable of ridiculously expansive beautiful football, every players name is quite literally a Sheffield United legend, Hodgy, Woody, the imperious TC, they were like rock stars to me & I couldn't get enough of them. If that team played to it's full potential they they would win, simple as, & it was capable of hitting greater heights than any team I have seen since; but it was also inconsistent, & was a small squad that suffered when injuries came along, & was also allowed to get old with no new blood coming through, so I saw my first example of my club falling down the leagues & I didn't like it one bit!

There have of course been some good years since, but for whatever reason it all felt like it was built on shifting sand to me; I didn't like us being referred to as "plucky little Sheffield United", or a "long ball" team, how dare others condescend us! But when CW/AK took over it just felt like everything started falling into place. We had a long way to go to get to where I wanted us to be but with a new found impetus we started the journey back to "where we belong", but this particular revival had a totally different feel to ones before it; we established an identity, a progressive way of playing, instilled values into every fibre of the club, we had substance as a club once again, each challenge being met head on & defeated before moving to the next. The best is almost certainly yet to come with CW/AK in charge, incredible to say given our past, but we have taken our place in the top division with no cap doffing to anyone, no apologies for our style of play, in short no quarter given, or asked.

Oh yeah, is CW our best manager? Too right.

Totally agree..... we've been lucky in the past. What Bassett and Warnock achieved but this feels like a dynasty not just a short lucky period.

 

[Kevincarterversion2.0]

Tactically very good, great motivator, makes good signings, talks sense, got a dying club back on it's feet and in the PL despite boardroom squabbles. Wilder is absolutely the best manager we have had.

Lets be honest, getting us in the PL, given where we were and despite the boardroom unrest, is nothing short of genius!

 

[CarlMcBlade]

There will be debate about this but it is IMHO That Chris Wilder is our best ever manager. Don’t get me wrong we have had some great managers but this guy has everything

Since the fifties we have had the likes of Joe Mercer then the brilliant John Harris and of course we cannot forget Ken Furphy. Ian Porterfield was the right man at that particular time and until Dave Bassett came along we were going nowhere followed by Neil Warnock who also brought Some great times to the Lane
BUT
Let’s look where we were when Chris Wilder took over a team of under achievers and we were going nowhere but he waved his magic wand and I can tell you that he can take us much further and don’t be surprised if a European slot in the not too distant future happens.
I’ve seen some great United teams and I never thought anyone would better John Harris but it is happened now
It is my humble opinion that Chris Wilder has now done just that.
Do you agree?

I know we’ve been in the wilderness (no pun intended) for donkeys years and we haven’t really had any sustained period of success in my lifetime.
But I think Chris Wilder could potentially be our very own Matt Busby, Bill Shankly, Bobby Robson, Don Revie or Brian Clough rolled into one.
All these managers have turned under-performing, also-ran clubs into world beaters.
I know we’ve only been in the league 2 minutes and It could all fall flat very quickly. But you get the impression our Chrissie is here to build a dynasty. I know Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche have been doing it in the Prem for number of years now. But I’d like to think Chris is at a club with a lot more potential than both Bournemouth and Burnley.

 

[JayGreen17]

Just behind Bassett in my lifetime...but I’d say we’re playing much better than the early 90s and, if he keeps us up this season i would say yes.

 

[Charlieblade]

As a few others have described, I grew up on the side managed by John Harris, but those were very different days in many ways.
The club was run by local business men made good. Chairman Dick Wragg was just like McCabe, and often sold players to balance the books, or improve his personal wealth and standing in the business community. (Equally popular)
Successful clubs today are businesses run by fund managers, who import the best coaches in the world.
Back in the old first division, we had muddy pitches, standing terraces and essentially British players. The national side had just won the World Cup.

Comparisons are difficult and despite all the technical and infrastructure improvements, managing a TEAM is still about getting the best from a group of players. Wilder is absolutely the best at that.
His USP is being allowed to manage with minimal interference from the business managers above.

I believe he is now at the stage where he can say yes or no to player purchases and sales. Brooks will be his last act of enforced pragmatism. I would like to think of the Prince as a bridge between the old days of Wragg, McCabe etc, and the modern world of top flight businesses that masquerade as football clubs.
Heres hoping Wilder can continue to confound those clubs and bring the sanity back to our team. We are different and we are special, all because of Wilder.