GeorgeDonis1889
Member
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2025
- Messages
- 439
- Reaction score
- 1,448
I'm old enough to remember when people were labelled bedwetters for pointing out how ridiculous our recruitment was
The biggest issue at the club.
- Thread starter Vass Borbokis
- Start date
All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?
CaptainMorgans
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2011
- Messages
- 10,731
- Reaction score
- 29,104
I'd agree with you if they'd done anything to address their abundantly clear lack of football intelligence.
Instead, the American tech bros have just multiplied in number.
Unless any of them are planning on throwing a load of cash in (recent mortgages against club assets doesn't immediately suggest this), then I'm not sure what the value add is?
Imagine how let down I felt when I realised the SAC didn't involve any long term technical/football plan.
Like last summer was an anomaly
Precisely.
The only real asset we have is an academy that continues to outperform and Chris Wilder, who is - as a minimum - a safe pair of hands at Championship level.
As a club we're underperforming on the pitch this season relative to our revenue. The blame for that lies squarely with the owners / recruitment dept.
I don't think they've done anything of substance to address that and next season our revenue drops.
So as a club, we're back to relying on Wilder finding his mojo from 7-10 years ago and defying the odds.
My guess is, we're heading for some years in no man's land (think PNE, Stoke, WBA etc.).
bornablade
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2014
- Messages
- 4,842
- Reaction score
- 10,145
The biggest issue to me is the development of young players from our academy into the first team is not been fully utilised.
Recruitment is important but is second in importance to the academy production line.
Recruitment is important but is second in importance to the academy production line.
Blade In Flame
Member
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2016
- Messages
- 473
- Reaction score
- 1,164
I bought a shed load online. I was building a rabbit hutch and was after MDF. Unfortunately I'm dyslexic.
IdLiketoRogerMoore
Has a well-used member
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2016
- Messages
- 8,336
- Reaction score
- 19,170
Exactly this!!
As the league/game is getting more athletic and dynamic, how many of that very long list would you say are elite athletes at their physical peak? Tanganga maybe...
Seriki has come in and shown us what having big, strong, fast athletes can do - yet we persist with buying athletically inferior players. It makes zero sense.
GymClassHero
Active Member
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2018
- Messages
- 1,529
- Reaction score
- 2,893
Our recruitment this year has been shocking, there's no two ways about it. Wilder shouldn't be blamed. In fact it's his two signings (Bamford and Riedewald) that have pulled us away from danger.
Our next game, both are missing
Our next game, both are missing
Been saying this for years we buy players with 0 resale value, probably only Ramsdale we made any money on but then we pretty much gave him away in the first place, and we might have made half a million on trusty,
Wards
Well-Known Member
Made money on Bogle I believe. Trusty we definitely, somehow, turned a profit. Possibly a small profit on Berge too but I don't think that fee was ever properly disclosed.
You could also argue that we signed Ndiaye for a fee and turned him over for a huge profit (though there are some caveats on that one obviously).
You could also argue that we signed Ndiaye for a fee and turned him over for a huge profit (though there are some caveats on that one obviously).
Blackburn...selling loads of their best players.
Balham
S24SU Seer
Who defended our recruitment? I think almost everyone on here was at best incredulous.I'm old enough to remember when people were labelled bedwetters for pointing out how ridiculous our recruitment was
Soumaré has the physical attributes but doesn't always put them together.
The mid-range transfers in the last couple of years have mostly turned a profit. Berge and Brewster are the last signings to have gone for a significant loss, unless you include that bizarre Archer deal. We will almost certainly lose £5-10m on Hamer when he leaves.
Bogle: signed for £3m, sold for £8m.
Trusty: signed for £5m, sold for £6m.
Traoré: signed for £2.5m, sold for £4m
Berge: signed for €25m (£22m), sold for £12.5m (£15m including sell on when he moved to Fulham for £20m+£5m)
Ndiaye: signed for £50k, sold for €20m (£17m). No sell-on bonus because Olympique Marseille is run by idiots.
There is no way we will turn a profit on any of this summer's signings unless Genoa take leave of their senses and/or Zätterström tears it up in Italy.
Tanganga: signed for £5-8m, current value £3-6m
McGuinness: signed for approx £3.5m, current value £1m
Chong: signed for £2.5m, current value £nil (any fee will be offset by wage contribution)
Matos: signed for £1.5m, current value £nil + sell on (we will have to give him away for a nominal fee and future incentives)
Polendakov: signed for £250k, current value £nil (likely to be released back to Bulgaria)
Zätterström: signed for £3m, on loan at Genoa with an option for a £5m permanent transfer.
DI36O
Member
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2014
- Messages
- 963
- Reaction score
- 1,133
We paid 3.5m for McGuinness? Seriously?
Wards
Well-Known Member
Again, another disclosed deal so we'll never really be able to untangle what the actual fee was. Personally I'd have thought it would've been around £2m-2.5m but it was too expensive either way. I think Luton were desperate shift him on due to wages, same with Chong, so they may be lower.
In relation to the above I understand we also turned a small profit on Slimane.
Tony Currie
Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2009
- Messages
- 698
- Reaction score
- 1,800
Your markings are very harsh. For example these all had an outstanding season and are all picking up since Wilders return.
Harrison Burrows - Mid (opposite to McCallum)
Tyrese Campbell - Mid (same as above)
Michael Cooper - Mid (same as above)
Also picking up are :-
Mark McGuinness - Bad
Ben Mee - Bad/Mid
The idea that all signings workout is pure fantasy. The idea we need better than Wilder is ludicrous - nothing wrong with a settled long term manager. We all know the example of Ferguson, Klopp and Guardiola. That also applies in the championship - Phil Parkinson, Kieran McKenna (both now in playoff spots).
jimmymuir
Member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2024
- Messages
- 370
- Reaction score
- 717
Campbell frustrates the hell out of me mainly as he can't play for more than an hour. But the fact he's been labelled as 'mid' is just wrong. He was our top scorer last season, has scored three times against the Pigs and was a free transfer.
Same applies for Cooper, Burrows and McCallum, all been good signings for us. I know Cooper and Burrows have been off it this season, but given they're both still fairly young, I firmly believe they can regain the form they showed last term.
I don't think labelling players as good or bad really works does it. If we had got promoted last season, we would have been singing the names of Burrows, Moore, Campbell etc. Our recruitment this season, has been poor, with very little sense of direction but that came with a change of manager and style etc which also didn't work. Players are humans who go through patches of performance, the challenge is managing that an having a squad who can be rotated to allow them either time away from the starting 11 or to help raise standards.
With the "AI" signings, I don't have a problem with them on the whole (although on the current position, would love it for Bord to take over Wednesday, their signings will be hilarious! " You take a chance on young, unknown players, but they should be seen as academy signings and not published as squad signings. For every player that makes it, we will have loads that don't, bringing in players into the academy shouldn't be laughed at, but the expectation can't be high on every 18 year old who comes into the club.
I started writing a comment next to each name but I think it can be summed up as:
Feels like there is a lack of bigger picture planning around the squad and we have either been really unlucky with injuries or we just like a gamble (maybe there is financial protections around some contracts, who knows).
I don't think its doom and gloom, the summers transfers seem to have been handed contracts that they shouldn't and we are now locked in with players like Mcguiness and Chong. Mcguiness I wouldn't mind if he was a back up CB, however we keep having to have him in the starting 11 and I don't think hes here for that.
If it was easy, everyone would be getting it right. Just imagine if JOC's injury happened 18 months earlier, where would we be now.
With the "AI" signings, I don't have a problem with them on the whole (although on the current position, would love it for Bord to take over Wednesday, their signings will be hilarious! " You take a chance on young, unknown players, but they should be seen as academy signings and not published as squad signings. For every player that makes it, we will have loads that don't, bringing in players into the academy shouldn't be laughed at, but the expectation can't be high on every 18 year old who comes into the club.
I started writing a comment next to each name but I think it can be summed up as:
Feels like there is a lack of bigger picture planning around the squad and we have either been really unlucky with injuries or we just like a gamble (maybe there is financial protections around some contracts, who knows).
I don't think its doom and gloom, the summers transfers seem to have been handed contracts that they shouldn't and we are now locked in with players like Mcguiness and Chong. Mcguiness I wouldn't mind if he was a back up CB, however we keep having to have him in the starting 11 and I don't think hes here for that.
If it was easy, everyone would be getting it right. Just imagine if JOC's injury happened 18 months earlier, where would we be now.
Vass Borbokis
Member
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2020
- Messages
- 468
- Reaction score
- 1,589
- Thread starter
- #46
As I said, it was my opinion, yours is different. Doesn't mean either one of us are incorrect (there's no issue with us thinking each other are incorrect though of course).
My opinion was based on what I feel they've displayed during their time with the club.
You've stated players are picking up, just off the back of one good win.
For example, McGuinness has been dog turd most of the season, yet had a relatively decent game (against a poor striker) so now you've said he's picking up.
Burrows - Has improved ever so slightly since Wilder's return, but that's coincided with him becoming second choice and not seeing many minutes. He's still woeful defensively and not great athletically. McCallum has excelled this season, whereas he was poor last season.
Campbell - Is one of the most unfit players we've had on our books for a long time. I disagree that he's picked up since Wilder's return, if anything, he's going the other way, especially recently. Obviously strikers are judged on goals, he did pretty decently in that respect last season, with a 1 in 3 average. 1 in 5 average this season, with 2 of his 5 goals being against one of the worst teams in history. He's not scored in over 2 months. The stories from Stoke fans about his laziness/fitness levels are starting to ring true.
Just watch his work rate, with pressing etc compared to someone like Bamford (even Cannon is getting better at pressing these days).
Cooper - Was great last season, bad this season (last couple of games he's looked more like last season's version, but my post was before that).
I stated mid on the above 3, they were all good last season (so could have been classed as upper mid really), but all 3 have been dissappointing this season.
Never said all signings work out, you'd be bonkers for thinking that. I just wish we moved with the times, instead of getting left behind when it comes to signing players.
A lot of our signings end up being panic buys, that nobody else really wants.
I'm thinking of the long term future of the club. Mediocore signings and a pre-historic infrastructure behind the scenes are going to hold the club back and stop us progressing.
Oh, and I'd rather not have Phil Parkinsonosaurus anywhere near the club I support thank you.
Kenworthy’s Tash
Member
Nail on head. Absolutely agree with this. It’s a boys club, and we are not bringing in the best people for the job. I mean, Jamie feckin Hoyland FFS! I wouldn’t want a wank midfielder like him anywhere near recruitment or coaching. Wilder rather have his pals around him than staff who actually know what they are doing. There are fundamental problems at this club and they will not be solved until someone breaks up the boys
Club.
Bang on that, Wilder's not going to employ somebody what's a bit more smarter than him, ie Hoyland so until this old pals act gets broken up, nothings going to change sadly
Godbeblade
Member
After Thomas Frank got sacked at Tottenham recently, I read somewhere about how Brentford managers don't always succeed after they leave because of the structure in place. The club makes it easy for the manager
We seem to be the opposite. 'Good' managers and players (on paper at least) have come to Bramall Lane and struggled/failed and I'm sure that when Wilder leaves again in the future, we'll have a job on our hands trying to find a replacement to work in this system.
Wilders greatest legacy at Sheffield United would be to put a system in place where it 'runs itself' (whether that's director of football/modern scouting/etc etc). That's easier said than done but someone's got to do it AND balance performances on the pitch
Torrix1889
A reight Bobby Dazzler
Wilder isn't capable of putting a system in place behind the scenes, this is where your DoF comes in and we haven't got one...
CopenhagenBlade
Active Member
For Brentford read Brighton and Bournemouth too. All seem to pluck relatively unknown and young managers in and they all succeed but don’t do much elsewhere.
Exactly - if you are going to put a system in place that survives individual managers leaving, you don’t get the current manager to oversee it.
Tom Bott
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2017
- Messages
- 7,550
- Reaction score
- 12,724
What was your rating for him when we loaned him in the PL though?
Strikes me as another Leon Clarke, though Wilder managed to get him scoring.
Tom Bott
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2017
- Messages
- 7,550
- Reaction score
- 12,724
What if they appointed the DOF equivalent of Grbic though?
I remember when COH appointed Selles.
Stanthemanfan
Active Member
I'm thinking this about Keith Andrews, be interesting next season how they do especially if tiago gets solf
Ball_Sup (Phil)
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2017
- Messages
- 8,378
- Reaction score
- 18,737
Director of Football
When Clubs appoint a Coach or a Manager, there is more or less universally a Track Record. How that person has performed in previous jobs, even if that is at a lower level, at Youth level, or in a different country. And there will be some knowledge of the philosophy/strategy/style of that prospective manager. Or indeed, if they have proved themselves flexible in a variety of situations.
Genuine Question - how do you appoint a Director of Football? Is there like a list of those who are out of a job, and may be available for appointment? Are there performance stats for Directors and what they have achieved?
Do you look at ex Managers, who might be suitable. I get, but don't agree with, the idea of a DoF at Sheffield United. But, genuinely interested in how we might go about finding the right one.
When Clubs appoint a Coach or a Manager, there is more or less universally a Track Record. How that person has performed in previous jobs, even if that is at a lower level, at Youth level, or in a different country. And there will be some knowledge of the philosophy/strategy/style of that prospective manager. Or indeed, if they have proved themselves flexible in a variety of situations.
Genuine Question - how do you appoint a Director of Football? Is there like a list of those who are out of a job, and may be available for appointment? Are there performance stats for Directors and what they have achieved?
Do you look at ex Managers, who might be suitable. I get, but don't agree with, the idea of a DoF at Sheffield United. But, genuinely interested in how we might go about finding the right one.
Yoonitedite
Member
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2025
- Messages
- 115
- Reaction score
- 123
We seem to excel at signing good players that are subsequently played out of their natural and most productive positions,and look poor.
It's as if we don't have a proper plan in place.
Elsewhere,they come alive.
Yoonitedite
Member
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2025
- Messages
- 115
- Reaction score
- 123
I agree,a long term manager can be beneficial.I'm struggling a bit seeing Wilder mentioned alongside Gueardiola,Klopp and Fergy.
If only we had those levels of courage
Tom Bott
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2017
- Messages
- 7,550
- Reaction score
- 12,724
Nail on head there.
The number of fans who think "we need a DOF" all problems sorted.
Many clubs including Barnsley have. or have had a DOF. Where did it propel them to?
Who is in charge of appointing the DOF? the same people who appointed Selles?
Though many have said that Selles talked a good game.
The world is full of bullshit salesmen.
What is required is people who make a difference, and achieve.
Not those who can talk shit Ad infinitum.
Ruben Selles is available again after his third sacking in twelve months and Danny Rohl is rumored to be close to the edge. Both having been proclaimed to be the new dawn of Sheffield football.
Old Programme seller
Active Member
- Joined
- May 27, 2018
- Messages
- 1,230
- Reaction score
- 1,341
Wilder will be here next season because the owners can’t afford to risk another bad appointment and who can blame them they’ve been very badly advised before the best thing that they can do to help the club and themselves is back Wilder as much as they can in the transfer market, there will be comings and going’s a plenty other teams will always sniff round the best players offering them better options and we will have to sell to buy.
Similar threads
All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?