Time to look towards 26/27

[Racing Blade]

I think an essential prerequisite to even contemplating a replacement manager is to appoint someone at board level with a track record of identifying and recruiting unproven coaching talent.

Clubs like Brighton, Bournemouth, even Swansea have a track record of repeatedly doing so. We certainly do not.

It's entirely understandable that much of our fan base leans towards a known quantity. Why would anyone trust the current incumbents to roll the dice again?

 

[Balham]

Same old Wilder haters over and over again, his remit THIS time was keep us up. He’s done it, owners have already stated he’s staying (thank God).

From where we were when he picked up the reins he’s done a fantastic job.

The 20 that hate him on here, absolutely love a short term fail, I can here the keys clattering as I leave the ground but sorry lads suck it up he’s here next year and the vast majority couldn’t be happier.

Errr hang on - Wilder doesn’t have his enforced sabbatical and we are minimum be in the play offs. The bloke has done fantastic you need to be realistic we are SUFC not MUFC.

That’s not true. Even with our start, after the investment the expectations on Wilder would have been for a decent attempt to get in the top 6.

As it is, Wilder had lost nearly as many as he’s won (15 vs 13) and we’re mired in mid table.

Too many of our fans are willing to accept mediocrity as long as it has a SUFC badge on it.

 

[Carlton Blade]

The problem isn’t just sacking Wilder. It’s sacking the club’s entire football operating system without replacing it.

Wilder isn’t just a manager. He effectively:

Runs recruitment
Sets the playing model
Builds the squad
Influences contracts
Sets the football standards and culture across the club

Modern clubs split those roles across a sporting director, recruitment department, analysts and technical leadership. United don’t have that infrastructure.

So when Sellés arrived as a head coach, there was no real football structure around him, no strong recruitment operation and no clear football strategy above the coach. The result was exactly what we saw after the playoff final: a chaotic off-season, reactive decisions, and no clear squad plan.

So the choices are pretty simple:

Bring back Wilder, appoint another manager capable of running the whole football side or finally build the proper football structure modern clubs rely on. Anything else just sets the next appointment up to fail.

Sack the manager if you want. Just make sure you replace the five jobs he was doing first.

 

[djbaldken]

Wasn’t aware I wasn’t allowed an opinion on Wilder unless I had a full list of prospective replacements prepared, my bad.

Of course you're entitled to an opinion. On anything.

But in this case your opinion is shite.

 

[djbaldken]

I'd prefer Peter Sellers.

'have you got a license for that menkey?'

 

[100% part time blade]

Davies has been fine last couple of games.
Once we get to the stage of mathematically knowing our season will end above relegation and below play-offs, I’d give Faxon some first team experience:

 

[JT89]

But in this case your opinion is shite.

I know it’s upsetting to hear that your hero isn’t all you’d hoped they would be. But sadly, Wilder just doesn’t have it anymore and we need to move on.

 

[CPB]

Short, short memories some people.

Does anyone remember how poor we were at the start of the season?
How it took several games after Wilder was appointed to see us even start to look like a decent team again?

We looked relegation fodder. In fact the stats at the time backed that up and the projections were that we could be joining Wednesday through that trap door.

Wilder has turned us around to the point we've been talking about an outside chance of the top 6. But he's not got that consistency out of us.

Whilst yesterday was a poor one. QPR the week before was a game we just controlled. We gave Coventry and Boro games where really we should have got something from them.
And against Ipswich we were very good indeed. In fact Millwall away was another we looked the better team and didn't win.

I can see the point of view of wanting a "young, modern" manager to move us forward. Wilder isn't the answer forever by any stretch.

But ask yourself this. If a different manager (let's say Mousinho given his name been mentioned) had come in and turned this season around with the exact same performances and results.

Would you want to sack him this summer? I would think not.

We have had alot of instability since last year's play off final. It makes more sense to me to stick with what we know right now.

 

[blade67]

If dropping Seriki was Wilders way of punishing the lad…He should be ashamed of himself.

what has Seriki done to be punished?

Have I missed something. He strikes me as a very serious and ambitious young man

 

[Kona]

Short, short memories some people.

Does anyone remember how poor we were at the start of the season?
How it took several games after Wilder was appointed to see us even start to look like a decent team again?

We looked relegation fodder. In fact the stats at the time backed that up and the projections were that we could be joining Wednesday through that trap door.

Wilder has turned us around to the point we've been talking about an outside chance of the top 6. But he's not got that consistency out of us.

Whilst yesterday was a poor one. QPR the week before was a game we just controlled. We gave Coventry and Boro games where really we should have got something from them.
And against Ipswich we were very good indeed. In fact Millwall away was another we looked the better team and didn't win.

I can see the point of view of wanting a "young, modern" manager to move us forward. Wilder isn't the answer forever by any stretch.

But ask yourself this. If a different manager (let's say Mousinho given his name been mentioned) had come in and turned this season around with the exact same performances and results.

Would you want to sack him this summer? I would think not.

We have had alot of instability since last year's play off final. It makes more sense to me to stick with what we know right now.

I agree with much of this, but…

… with someone like Mousinho (again only using him as an example because his name is mentioned) is that you’d hope he’d be able to more out of a team with better players and attract different types of players. He’s been very effective with what he had.

There’s an assumption he’d drive us forward but I think some of that is based on him being an unknown quantity, with some feeling that it will be ‘more of the same’ with Wilder.

I’ve said it before and I stand by it: if we are willing to change the structure of the club and provide effective and experienced support to a new manager then I’m all for it. If not, I think Wilder is an obvious choice.

 

[Broomhall Blade]

They won’t sack him this season zero chance of it happening.

I wouldn't be so sure, he splits the fan base.
While Some cannot see past the bladey bladey and badge slapping and he's one of our own(i noticed yesterday when the kop started singing that, it didn't get very load).
Others can see a manager of limited ability who dosent ever seem to have a plan B, which is very important when plan A is a disaster like yesterday.

If season ticket sales are down, which I think they almost certainly well be going on what a some on here are saying me included, that could make the board think.
If we keep Wilder i can see us just being a Stoke, finishing lower half to mid table playing in front of a half empty stadium.

Yesterday was also the first time i heard fans criticising Wilder coming out of the ground.

The thought of watching more games like yesterday next season is a real possibility and not something i would want too watch (i was struggling to stay awake).
WBA were very poor and there for the taking, we just huffed and puffed and passed backwards and sideways with the occasional launch up field for the whole 90min.

 

[Broomhall Blade]

Getting rid of Wilder is the last thing we need to do.. we need stability the next couple of years as we re-structure without parachute payments.. we would be in danger of relegation next season

So you are saying for the next couple of seasons we get used too watching more and more games like yesterday ?
You have to have hope or what's the point in going (yes i know some fans just go for the social aspect first rather than the football) i want us to be competitive and challenging and moving forward.

If what you are saying is what is going to happen, then in regards to renewing my season ticket I'm out.

 

[SwissBlade]

That’s not true. Even with our start, after the investment the expectations on Wilder would have been for a decent attempt to get in the top 6.

As it is, Wilder had lost nearly as many as he’s won (15 vs 13) and we’re mired in mid table.

Too many of our fans are willing to accept mediocrity as long as it has a SUFC badge on it.

It’s not just about stats.

When Wilder came in we weren’t just bottom but looked devoid of life. The connection between fans and club was non existent again

The priority at that time was to get us off the bottom and out of the bottom three. He had no money as there was no window, recruitment had been done by Selles and Bord and we had to deal in free agents until January. We then had to try to bring in what we could in Jan to then be in a position to kick on.

Incredibly, Top 6 still just about remains the target, albeit a distant one. However, making it into the top half, if the season ends now is still a big achievement.

 

[gavtheblade]

Finishing in the top half this season after where we were after 10 games is a big enough achievement for me.
Do we really want the premiership so much?, not until we have the backing and the infrastructure off field first.
Give tufts another crack over the summer and see where we are this time next season, I would take a punt at being 16 plus points better off.
The championship has been a poor league for me this season, the standard compared to last season is plain to see.
Frustrating yes, disappointed?, no.
Utb.

 

[wak1889]

He's going to have a big rebuild on his hands, especially midfield, Peck is gone in the summer, probably jairo too, who knows what is happening with hamer, we also need a centre half as Bindon is a loan ,

 

[Sky Blues]

It's time to start preparing for next season. Get rid of Wilder and bring in the next manager asap so they can have a good look at the players we currently have before deciding what they need in the summer.

Great idea. Get rid of the manager that came very close to getting you promoted with a very high points amount and then should have beat Sunderland in the playoff final. Bring him back and he saves you from a relegation battle.

Oh yes let's get rid of him again

 

[Hollinsend]

Just when we needed a performance…We got this shit.

If dropping Seriki was Wilders way of punishing the lad…He should be ashamed of himself.

"If".

Has anyone provided any evidence that Wilder was punishing Seriki?

 

[BiggerBladeThanThou]

With this squad and depleted finances next season, you have to be realistic, Wilder is for certain best man, take us forward no, stabilise us for a period yes.

Take us forward is going to need a huge injection of cash - isn’t happening.

Selles was no great shakes but he was hung out to dry. The infrastructure at United is tinpot, it needs a Wilder to hold it altogether with sticky tape and blue tack.

The job he is doing/ done is off the scale- realise what you support.

Respectfully disagree. I don’t think it’s beyond the capabilities of a strong manager who knows what he wants to take the club in a new direction. With or without finances. Wilder is just the fallback guy because he’s a fan and understands the club.

It still doesn’t change my opinion he’s tactically inept and we need someone new in. Respect what Wilders achieved here, but respect what needs to happen to move the club forwards.

What do we do, just stick with wilder forever? Or dump him if and when we get promoted? Which won’t happen next season either. Get rid and plan now.

 

[I should coco]

I’d argue and say appointing Selles wasn’t necessarily wrong,

Revisionism of the highest order.

Selles was so fucking wrong, it could have been seen from outer space, and yet the Wilder haters can't stop themselves.

One average performance and tge forum experts come back out of their holes. FOTH.

 

[spongebobblade]

That’s not true. Even with our start, after the investment the expectations on Wilder would have been for a decent attempt to get in the top 6.

As it is, Wilder had lost nearly as many as he’s won (15 vs 13) and we’re mired in mid table.

Too many of our fans are willing to accept mediocrity as long as it has a SUFC badge on it.

So let me get this right. After 6 straight defeats, a squad ripped apart and filled with AI players and panic buys, confidence absolutely shattered and the club sinking fast you expected Wilder to come in and hit the ground running and take us into the play offs? Not one supporter was thinking about play offs at that time. We were in deep shit and it takes time to repair the huge damage done in the summer. Confidence doesn’t return overnight so comparing his 15 v 13 isn’t very fair. He’s stabilised us and play offs talk has always been a long shot. The damage was done pre season. We needed tweaking at the most and CW would have had us challenging top 2 or the play offs at the very least. It’s ok saying ‘the investment’ but apart from Tanganga the summer recruitment was piss poor. The best two were brought in by Wilder . Jairo and Bamford

 

[Kenilworth]

I’d argue and say appointing Selles wasn’t necessarily wrong, sacking Wilder and setting Selles on with zero help around him were. If you’re setting on a head coach, you need a backroom team around them to support in things a standard manager does.

Have you seen how well SeLLLLLLes has done at Zaragoza?

 

[Danetheblade]

Revisionism of the highest order.

Selles was so fucking wrong, it could have been seen from outer space, and yet the Wilder haters can't stop themselves.

One average performance and tge forum experts come back out of their holes. FOTH.

Great response, how’s about you reply to the rest of the message?

 

[Kenilworth]

Probably I do think the players threw him under the bus though. Played alright in pre-season, then turned it in when they knew Wilder could’ve been coming back. Spineless set of cunts.

They didn’t play all right pre season. They scraped through a series of lower league teams Ann the Burton game game me serious concerns.

 

[Kenworthy’s Tash]

It’s not happening though is it, so if that’s what you want prepare to be disappointed, do you really think they would gamble with sacking him after what happened last summer?.

Then we really are in trouble

 

[cahill]

No chance we can afford to sack Wilder with owners as suspect as these

Too much can go wrong too easily if we sack him because it creates a giant void

Dilemma innit .

 

[Maltby_blade]

Then we really are in trouble

Depends what you class as being in trouble given we were on zero points after 6 games and are now in the top half. He deserves another crack at it next season for me.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Ownership wise, the board were extremely foolish to sack Wilder when the did. Because of this mistake, and the abysmal choice of replacement for Wilder, the owners are going to be reticent to get their fingers burnt again with managerial changes.

 

[BiggerBladeThanThou]

I think what the Wilder in vs the Wilder out camps boils down to is short vs long termism. I don’t mind taking the long view here, getting rid of Wilder, employing someone who knows what he wants in terms of a club structure, and going with it. Maybe it’ll take a season or two to click, I don’t mind that. As long as we can break the cycle of BladeyBladeness that seems to underpin failure to progress at this club.

If I was the owners I’d be looking for that manager right now for next season.

 

[Bladesince59]

Davies has been fine last couple of games.
Once we get to the stage of mathematically knowing our season will end above relegation and below play-offs, I’d give Faxon some first team experience:

wer'e as good as there now

 

[Kenilworth]

Oh. Who you suggesting then. Thought that’s what you were after.

Shall we get a young Spanish manager in that plays a different way with little to no experience of championship football?

Go on, who’s the mouth watering new manager to change things up

Spot on SwissBlade

So many of the Wilder detractors argument is that they want change, any change is a good thing, and it’s always because they have an inherent dislike of the man and evidently display no realisation, no acknowledgement whatsoever of where we were before he came in and where we are now.
They spout endless bollocks about a DoF and a “tactically aware” young coach or manager with absolutely no recognition that the coaching and training infrastructure is no where near what is needed for that type of set up. Even if they do give a cursory nod to the backroom staff required it’s as though that can be magically in place in a nanosecond and a new coach in place to bring on the nirvana of all appointments.

They spout about the rest of us settling for a mid table championship team and them being so much more progressive and wanting to compete and impress in the top league. No one iota of cognisance that without a level of investment unprecedented in Sheffield United history that pipe dream sits in a bin of delusional unreality matched only by our near neighbours spendageddon mentality (evidently without the infrastructure investment too).

Where I do agree on the progress front is that the owners should (if they have any level of ambition for this club) get the infrastructure right (cat 1 academy is the very start of that) as a foundation.

Where I differ significantly is that they seem to fail to understand that without that (huge level of investment and a programme that will take a minimum of 3 years) no DoF and head coach combo will make any positive contribution whatsoever. In fact we have witnessed first hand what that naive level of thinking results, and it isn’t pretty.

We are not a club set up for a continental style management and coaching programme. We are a provincial, working class, inner city team that represents its roots and values and mirrors the tribal nature of its heritage. Whilst not winning owt for over 100 years I believe that is the pinnacle of what we can achieve within our present budget. And I’m fine with that. Owning the city and laughing at that other lot is an ok default position. The odd promotion and foray into the top league is as good as it gets for us. And I’m fine with that at the moment.

What’s the alternative outcome?
Cleverly run but ultimately insipid and nondescript clubs like Brentford, Bournemouth and Brighton?

Have a go spunkathon clubs like Forest?
Cheating clubs like Leicester or Wham?

Strikes me the analogous performance to aspire to are clubs like Palace, Leeds, or Sunderland (if we have their level of investment), or Wolves (see where they are now) who sustained a top flight place for quite a long time.

The main thing I laugh at with these types of threads is the ridiculousness of the expectation that just a DOF and a trendy coach will be the panacea in an instant.

Bonkers.