Sharp

[DronnieBlade]

Sharp has been badly short changed of pitch time this season at Championship level. This, in my opinion, should not have been the case but Twas.

Every reason to suggest he would be even shorter changed next term.

For his OWN benefit, he needs to have a proper sit down with himself and basically tell the club to go fuck itself then. In private of course as needs to go out the front door with pride in his achievements here.

Im also quite certain that the decline in standards so widely accepted by many of you is not nearly as pronounced as many would have you believe.

I watched a 37 year old Sharp dominate the PL and internationally experienced CBs of Tottingham for 90 minutes. No mean achievement.

Then get dropped to the bench for the very next league game !!!!

Playing 2nd fiddle, I suspect, is genuinely not in the guys DNA.

So while I strongly believe he has it in him to have an impact next season, it will be a limited one, through no fault of his own. It’s because of this that I now recognise it is time !

There is an old saying that you don’t really know what you have got till it’s gone - time will tell.

UTB

 

[SouthStandGBlock]

He's been fantastic for us, a real talisman, and a definite case of third time lucky.

It's sad to see him go, but at 37, and going into the EPL, he is no longer up to it I'm afraid, and we won't stay up being sentimental.

Hope he gets a good contract somewhere else, and comes back to us as a Coach/Ambassador when he finally hangs his boots up.

GLTTL and thanks for all you've given us.

 

[Bladey_blade]

Sharp has been badly short changed of pitch time this season at Championship level. This, in my opinion, should not have been the case but Twas.

Every reason to suggest he would be even shorter changed next term.

For his OWN benefit, he needs to have a proper sit down with himself and basically tell the club to go fuck itself then. In private of course as needs to go out the front door with pride in his achievements here.

Im also quite certain that the decline in standards so widely accepted by many of you is not nearly as pronounced as many would have you believe.

I watched a 37 year old Sharp dominate the PL and internationally experienced CBs of Tottingham for 90 minutes. No mean achievement.

Then get dropped to the bench for the very next league game !!!!

Playing 2nd fiddle, I suspect, is genuinely not in the guys DNA.

So while I strongly believe he has it in him to have an impact next season, it will be a limited one, through no fault of his own. It’s because of this that I now recognise it is time !

There is an old saying that you don’t really know what you have got till it’s gone - time will tell.

UTB

How on earth have you watched Sharp this year and thought yep he can step up next year in the prem? He is delusional if he thinks he should be anywhere near the pitch next year. I'd suggest he has had more minutes than his current ability justifies due to others being injured. Whoscored have him down as an average rating of 6.31 which is the lowest of any senior player

 

[DronnieBlade]

How on earth have you watched Sharp this year and thought yep he can step up next year in the prem? He is delusional if he thinks he should be anywhere near the pitch next year. I'd suggest he has had more minutes than his current ability justifies due to others being injured. Whoscored have him down as an average rating of 6.31 which is the lowest of any senior player

I’d trust dees over any Whoscored ratings.

Or any Blades fans ratings or MOM awards for that matter as well.

Not what I said either, but thanks for trying to twist to suit !

Life in the old dog yet.

UTB

 

[JJ Sefton]

I’m more gutted about this than Brian Deane leaving.

 

[Mouth of the South]

The last time we raided the Dutch leagues for a striker with an impressive scoring rate we ended up with Michael Higdon.

Does that mean you think we should avoid signing anyone that plays in the Dutch league?
Good job Barcalona didn't do that or they wouldn't have signed Ronaldo.
Same goes for Liverpool when they signed Suarez.

 

[S64 Blade]

I don’t think we were wrong to give him another year, last year, either. He was our top goalscorer.

He has fallen off a bit of a cliff this season, however. Not sure if that last injury has had a big impact, as the drop off has been very sudden.

Now is the right time to part ways, especially as we are in the Premier League now.

 

[Bladeloyal]

Billy has lived our dream .walk out of that front door with pride . unfortunately teams and time move on . Thanks for the memories and take your place in the blades hall of fame .

 

[PaulHalfway]

We need the salary saving to invest in younger players who can play in the PL, Sharp would virtually never play and needs to drop a level or too now if he wants to carry on playing for another year

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

Does that mean you think we should avoid signing anyone that plays in the Dutch league?
Good job Barcalona didn't do that or they wouldn't have signed Ronaldo.
Same goes for Liverpool when they signed Suarez.

Suarez and Ronaldo played for good Dutch clubs.

 

[PaulHalfway]

If Brewster had been fit this year he would of hardly played at all

 

[Gimli]

I’d trust dees over any Whoscored ratings.

Or any Blades fans ratings or MOM awards for that matter as well.

Not what I said either, but thanks for trying to twist to suit !

Life in the old dog yet.

UTB

McBurnie scores 15… Dronnie Blade ‘McPub’
Sharp scored 0… Dronnie Blade ‘life in the old dog yet’

Don’t want to derail the thread, as I’m as sad as anyone that Billy’s time with us looks to be up, but think them eyes need testing pal.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

Suarez and Ronaldo played for good Dutch clubs.

Suarez signed for Groningen originally.

Although general point taken, the Dutch league is a funny/difficult one to judge the quality of. Laurens ten Heuval being another example.

 

[S64 Blade]

If Brewster had been fit this year he would of hardly played at all

Can we be so confident of that? Sharp has done far more and performed much better whilst they’ve both been at the club.

 

[Stevo]

Suarez signed for Groningen originally.

Although general point taken, the Dutch league is a funny/difficult one to judge the quality of. Laurens ten Heuval being another example.

The Dutch league is the Scottish prem in disguise

 

[DronnieBlade]

McBurnie scores 15… Dronnie Blade ‘McPub’
Sharp scored 0… Dronnie Blade ‘life in the old dog yet’

Don’t want to derail the thread, as I’m as sad as anyone that Billy’s time with us looks to be up, but think them eyes need testing pal.

When your twitter pal nudges up towards 250 career goals, give me a prod.

Until then, specsavers not required !!

UTB.

 

[Gimli]

When your twitter pal nudges up towards 250 career goals, give me a prod.

Until then, specsavers not required !!

UTB.

It’s not 2016 anymore…

 

[DronnieBlade]

It’s not 2016 anymore…

You are correct - it isn’t.

But in 2023/24, I’d have significantly more confidence in this years number 10 having a greater impact on the PL than this years number 9. Even at a 10 years of age disadvantage !

To be clear, Neither should be anywhere near the starting 11 next term.

UTB

 

[Bladey_blade]

You are correct - it isn’t.

But in 2023/24, I’d have significantly more confidence in this years number 10 having a greater impact on the PL than this years number 9. Even at a 10 years of age disadvantage !

To be clear, Neither should be anywhere near the starting 11 next term.

UTB

Jade, it's over time to log off

 

[Smirth]

The only reason for keeping him is sentiment. He has been a great servant, has lived the dream of every Blades fan and will go down as a Blades legend, but sadly all things come to an end and with us going into the Premier League we cannot afford to let sentiment get in the way of what is best for the team.

Right now we have two highly rated young strikers in Jebbison & Osula, keeping Sharp would further limit their game time and thus their progression. We need to look to the future, not the past, and send Sharp on his way with all our well wishes and gratitude for everything he has done for us over his distinguished career with us.

 

[DronnieBlade]

The only reason for keeping him is sentiment. He has been a great servant, has lived the dream of every Blades fan and will go down as a Blades legend, but sadly all things come to an end and with us going into the Premier League we cannot afford to let sentiment get in the way of what is best for the team.

Right now we have two highly rated young strikers in Jebbison & Osula, keeping Sharp would further limit their game time and thus their progression. We need to look to the future, not the past, and send Sharp on his way with all our well wishes and gratitude for everything he has done for us over his distinguished career with us.

Why would it. If Sharp is past it surely Jeb and Osu would be keeping him out. Wouldn’t they ? You sure about your convictions in this regard ?

To be clear, we NEED 2 new CFs to compete for a spot up top.

Needed at least one last summer and didn’t get it so defo need 2 now

UTB

 

[Bladeloyal]

Sentiment would be a insult to the player he's been for us .
When your times up it's up

 

[Smirth]

Why would it. If Sharp is past it surely Jeb and Osu would be keeping him out. Wouldn’t they ? You sure about your convictions in this regard ?

To be clear, we NEED 2 new CFs to compete for a spot up top.

Needed at least one last summer and didn’t get it so defo need 2 now

UTB

It's very difficult for the management to drop an influential player, legend and club captain for 2 young kids who need game time to progress. He is in the way, there's no other way of looking at it. At 37, we need to be looking to the future and move him on for his sake as well as ours. He has said in the past he thinks he can continue playing for a few years yet, that isn't going to happen with us so he'd be better of dropping down a level to find that regular game time and get back to doing what he does best - scoring goals.

 

[Hulsey01]

If true who is odds on for Captain next season? I know Norwood has had an officialish Vice role but he isnt suitable to step up to the plate. George could be a good option always gives 100% and goes about his business in a professional manner.

Sharp will always be a Blades Legend no denying it, depending on him if he wants to continue to play and if he can if wants to drop wages yet again.

John Egan will be before baldock

 

[Bladeinleeds]

The Intangibles might outweigh the on pitch tangibles at this moment. But I’d be fine with him being given another year.

You can’t underestimate his leader ship over the course of the last period of sustained success we’ve had. Hopefully the squad has enough leaders to keep everything steady if it gets rocky next year! But we don’t want to lose all the experience.

If he’s played his last game for us - what’s a run and what a servant for the club!

BUILD THE STATUE

 

[DronnieBlade]

It's very difficult for the management to drop an influential player, legend and club captain for 2 young kids who need game time to progress. He is in the way, there's no other way of looking at it. At 37, we need to be looking to the future and move him on for his sake as well as ours. He has said in the past he thinks he can continue playing for a few years yet, that isn't going to happen with us so he'd be better of dropping down a level to find that regular game time and get back to doing what he does best - scoring goals.

Point taken.

But also the gaffer managed to consistently do just that this last season restricting him to very few starts and almost zero 90 minute stints !

UTB

 

[brownblade]

Has this actually been confirmed, or is this entire thread based on the OP saying it?

 

[DaveBassettsgoneonholiday]

Yeah. There comes a time in every man's life where he wakes up and forgets who he was.

Stack heeled cowboy boots as well, don't forget. And a propensity to 'put himself about' for no specific reason.

pommpey

Can't see a downside to this bit but I'm really gonna struggle with slicked back hair unless I go all Barry Bannan.

 

[Grizzly blade]

Why would it. If Sharp is past it surely Jeb and Osu would be keeping him out. Wouldn’t they ? You sure about your convictions in this regard ?

To be clear, we NEED 2 new CFs to compete for a spot up top.

Needed at least one last summer and didn’t get it so defo need 2 now

UTB

Sorry, you’re entitled to your opinion of course, but the fact he’s scored so many goals does not qualify him for future roles in the team.
His tally of goals has dropped off with minutes on the pitch, and although he has that savvy to unsettle defenders and win the odd free kick in the middle of the pitch that is not enough to justify a place in the team.
Next season we will have much less possession of the ball unless we spend a huge amount of money…that means most likely that we will need some pace and power up there to unsettle defenders and stretch games/counter attack.

Now if you are honest you know he’s not been able to do that for United this season when needed, and it remains a strong possibility that if the manager had dropped him from the squad when fit it would have been a humiliation and no way to end his career with the club. So he has effectively been limiting the development of Osula and Jebbo…who although lacking in experience and composure gained through appearances have the pace, skill, power and running to cause defender more problems than Sharp.

Yes he’s scored the odd goal by being in the right place at the right time, but the way we have played this season hasn’t been suited to what Sharp needs…ie quality crosses into the box. And the occasion there has been that he’s not quite been there or not made it count.

So it’s time…time he went and if he was honest with himself perhaps decided it may have been best to call this his last season as a player back in March and allow himself that time to see the game out and enjoy it. United would have looked after him, kept him in paid employment in some capacity while allowing him to operate his own Business as well.

Shame if he’s seen his arse…but doesn’t surprise me that the stubborn streak in him that saw his success has clouded his better judgement.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Sorry, you’re entitled to your opinion of course, but the fact he’s scored so many goals does not qualify him for future roles in the team.
His tally of goals has dropped off with minutes on the pitch, and although he has that savvy to unsettle defenders and win the odd free kick in the middle of the pitch that is not enough to justify a place in the team.
Next season we will have much less possession of the ball unless we spend a huge amount of money…that means most likely that we will need some pace and power up there to unsettle defenders and stretch games/counter attack.

Now if you are honest you know he’s not been able to do that for United this season when needed, and it remains a strong possibility that if the manager had dropped him from the squad when fit it would have been a humiliation and no way to end his career with the club. So he has effectively been limiting the development of Osula and Jebbo…who although lacking in experience and composure gained through appearances have the pace, skill, power and running to cause defender more problems than Sharp.

Yes he’s scored the odd goal by being in the right place at the right time, but the way we have played this season hasn’t been suited to what Sharp needs…ie quality crosses into the box. And the occasion there has been that he’s not quite been there or not made it count.

So it’s time…time he went and if he was honest with himself perhaps decided it may have been best to call this his last season as a player back in March and allow himself that time to see the game out and enjoy it. United would have looked after him, kept him in paid employment in some capacity while allowing him to operate his own Business as well.

Shame if he’s seen his arse…but doesn’t surprise me that the stubborn streak in him that saw his success has clouded his better judgement.

I’ve actually advocated the he moves on if you care to look back.

UTB