Time to look towards 26/27

[Chris the Blade]

I'd consider Hecky and Stuey if they'd come back.

 

[calcalcal]

And another Wilder fanatic enters the fray.

My head certainly doesn't need "a wobble" as you put it.

Tell me. Those Wilder pyjamas you wear. How often do you wash them??

We were a shambles and hes steadied the ship. Those first 5 games cost us so much more, team needed weeks to get its confidence back.
Let's be real, for all his sins, if he wasnt sacked we'd surely be around wrexham/hull

 

[Berkshire Blade]

We were a shambles and hes steadied the ship. Those first 5 games cost us so much more, team needed weeks to get its confidence back.
Let's be real, for all his sins, if he wasnt sacked we'd surely be around wrexham/hull

The anti wilder lot are so dug in and enjoy us dropping points but are silent when we play well and win. Interesting fellows.

 

[UddersBlade]

We were a shambles and hes steadied the ship. Those first 5 games cost us so much more, team needed weeks to get its confidence back.
Let's be real, for all his sins, if he wasnt sacked we'd surely be around wrexham/hull

Great post. 100% agree. COH messed up big time & it has put us back years …..

Wilder is the best guy with zero budget to wheel & deal to at least make us competitive next season.

 

[I should coco]

And another Wilder fanatic enters the fray.

My head certainly doesn't need "a wobble" as you put it.

Tell me. Those Wilder pyjamas you wear. How often do you wash them??

First and foremost, I'm a Unitedite.

I support my team.

Through thick and thin.

Mainly thin, actually.

Given how many managers we have got through since Porterfield, when a half decent one comes along, I've learnt to appreciate their stengths and maybe forgive some of their weaknesses. Bitter experience tells me, to 'be careful what you wish for'.

I'm a dinosaur though, so carry on as you were, pushing for Selles#2 and a Fairy Godmother DoF.

 

[ancientblade]

the big concern for me are wilders tactics saturday was a mirror image of a lot of home games last season when we scraped lots of 1 - 0 wins theres no wonder our fans are so quiet at home games 1 striker and boring sideways backwards possesion only football wont get us back in the premier league i was a big wilder fan first time round and advocated for his appointment on this site but i just find the current wilder a pale shadow of his former self as an innovative attack minded progressive manager for me its just a bit sad utb

 

[coolasanidiot]

the big concern for me are wilders tactics saturday was a mirror image of a lot of home games last season when we scraped lots of 1 - 0 wins theres no wonder our fans are so quiet at home games 1 striker and boring sideways backwards possesion only football wont get us back in the premier league i was a big wilder fan first time round and advocated for his appointment on this site but i just find the current wilder a pale shadow of his former self as an innovative attack minded progressive manager for me its just a bit sad utb

I’d take last season over this everyday of the week. A wins a win regardless and for all the Wilder haters much as they don’t like it he did get 92. I just cannot get the thinking that a new manager can do better with the minimal investment that’s coming.

 

[Balham]

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

I didn't expect Wilder to "hit the ground running". I expected him to instil a structure and then go from there. He had 41 league matches which is more than enough. Steven Rosen said that he had a conversation with Wilder in "early September" before they had a face-to-face meeting in Cleveland. Jamie Hoyland was appointed as Head of Recruitment on Wilder's say-so. If you want to believe that Wilder wasn't involved in the signings at the end of the summer transfer window then be my guest but the profiles have Wilder's fingerprints all over them.

As an aside, when we sacked Sellés the table looked like this*:



I've highlighted the teams currently 3rd to 8th. They were at most 7 points ahead of us yet we've only made ground on one of them (and that side has played one fewer than us). Wilder's remit should have been to take us to the play offs.

Once again, too many Blades accept mediocrity if it's got a SUFC badge on it.

*ignoring points deductions

 

[UddersBlade]

I didn't expect Wilder to "hit the ground running". I expected him to instil a structure and then go from there. He had 41 league matches which is more than enough. Steven Rosen said that he had a conversation with Wilder in "early September" before they had a face-to-face meeting in Cleveland. Jamie Hoyland was appointed as Head of Recruitment on Wilder's say-so. If you want to believe that Wilder wasn't involved in the signings at the end of the summer transfer window then be my guest but the profiles have Wilder's fingerprints all over them.

As an aside, when we sacked Sellés the table looked like this*:

View attachment 232832

I've highlighted the teams currently 3rd to 8th. They were at most 7 points ahead of us yet we've only made ground on one of them (and that side has played one fewer than us). Wilder's remit should have been to take us to the play offs.

Once again, too many Blades accept mediocrity if it's got a SUFC badge on it.

*ignoring points deductions

Go on then…..give me the ‘realistic’ name of the manager we should appoint to replace Wilder at the end of the season?

 

[Broomhall Blade]

The anti wilder lot are so dug in and enjoy us dropping points but are silent when we play well and win. Interesting fellows.

I make no secret that I don't rate Wilder, but I definitely do not enjoy us dropping points.

 

[KMC-1889]

I'd consider Hecky and Stuey if they'd come back.

They actually managed to get us over the line when the pressure was on.

Should never have to buy a pint in sheffield again and was treated appalingly by his 'mate' who was scheming to get him sacked.

 

[Broomhall Blade]

I’d take last season over this everyday of the week. A wins a win regardless and for all the Wilder haters much as they don’t like it he did get 92. I just cannot get the thinking that a new manager can do better with the minimal investment that’s coming.

Or too put it another way blow the play off final to a side that got 16 points less.

 

[Broomhall Blade]

I'd consider Hecky and Stuey if they'd come back.

I have no idea if you are joking but there will be some of our fan base who actually think that would be a good idea.
They are probably called Tubbs and Edward.

 

[Broomhall Blade]

First and foremost, I'm a Unitedite.

I support my team.

Through thick and thin.

Mainly thin, actually.

Given how many managers we have got through since Porterfield, when a half decent one comes along, I've learnt to appreciate their stengths and maybe forgive some of their weaknesses. Bitter experience tells me, to 'be careful what you wish for'.

I'm a dinosaur though, so carry on as you were, pushing for Selles#2 and a Fairy Godmother DoF.

Perhaps we need too create an AI of Wilder then we would never have to have anyone else manage us again just in case we got Selles#2.

 

[coolasanidiot]

I didn't expect Wilder to "hit the ground running". I expected him to instil a structure and then go from there. He had 41 league matches which is more than enough. Steven Rosen said that he had a conversation with Wilder in "early September" before they had a face-to-face meeting in Cleveland. Jamie Hoyland was appointed as Head of Recruitment on Wilder's say-so. If you want to believe that Wilder wasn't involved in the signings at the end of the summer transfer window then be my guest but the profiles have Wilder's fingerprints all over them.

As an aside, when we sacked Sellés the table looked like this*:

View attachment 232832

I've highlighted the teams currently 3rd to 8th. They were at most 7 points ahead of us yet we've only made ground on one of them (and that side has played one fewer than us). Wilder's remit should have been to take us to the play offs.

Once again, too many Blades accept mediocrity if it's got a SUFC badge on it.

*ignoring points deductions

OK you didn’t expect him to hit the ground running, but c’mon look at the dross he inherited. You are asking him to make a sow out of a pigs ear. Ings Ogbene Chong McGuinness Matos etc He needed some time. He’s done an excellent job to say anything other is existing bias.

 

[Balham]

Go on then…..give me the ‘realistic’ name of the manager we should appoint to replace Wilder at the end of the season?

Why? That's not my job.

Even so, how about Jakob Poulsen, Olaf Mellberg or Alfred Johansson?

OK you didn’t expect him to hit the ground running, but c’mon look at the dross he inherited. You are asking him to make a sow out of a pigs ear. Ings Ogbene Chong McGuinness Matos etc He needed some time. He’s done an excellent job to say anything other is existing bias.

Wilder's done an "excellent job"? Really??! Pull the other one. It's been average at best which is why we're midtable with a top 4 budget.

You've also named five players who haven't featured, other than when he first came in. McGuinness has rightly lost the place Wilder gave him to Bindon (who was already here). "Chongy" should only start if Brooks (who was already here) isn't fit. Ings' legs have gone but he was behind Campbell and Cannon (who were already here) anyway.

The only think we can really give Wilder credit for was recognising the issues in central midfield and then signing Jairo Riedewald. He's since added, for reasons best known to himself, Joe Rothwell on an 18 month deal - another financial millstone.

 

[coolasanidiot]

Why? That's not my job.

Even so, how about Jakob Poulsen, Olaf Mellberg or Alfred Johansson?



Wilder's done an "excellent job"? Really??! Pull the other one. It's been average at best which is why we're midtable with a top 4 budget.

You've also named five players who haven't featured, other than when he first came in. McGuinness has rightly lost the place Wilder gave him to Bindon (who was already here). "Chongy" should only start if Brooks (who was already here) isn't fit. Ings' legs have gone but he was behind Campbell and Cannon (who were already here) anyway.

The only think we can really give Wilder credit for was recognising the issues in central midfield and then signing Jairo Riedewald. He's since added, for reasons best known to himself, Joe Rothwell on an 18 month deal - another financial millstone.

We have to differ I’m giving him 8/10 for his efforts and gladly having him back for 3rd season. For the 2 latest seasons he gets 9/10.
Yes he’s a throwback and he is running the club from top to bottom. But like posters have said ad infinitum without a huge influx of personnel- just getting another manager will not work.
The owners have already stated as much.

 

[Balham]

We have to differ I’m giving him 8/10 for his efforts and gladly having him back for 3rd season. For the 2 latest seasons he gets 9/10.
Yes he’s a throwback and he is running the club from top to bottom. But like posters have said ad infinitum without a huge influx of personnel- just getting another manager will not work.
The owners have already stated as much.

Oh I'm under no illusions that we'll have anyone other than Wilder at the helm next season and, to be honest, I think we're set fair for a tilt at 5th-8th. We'll need depth at full back (both sides) and central defence but we'll also be able to realise enough in transfer fees to bridge the financial gap when the parachutes drop off.

 

[KMC-1889]

OK you didn’t expect him to hit the ground running, but c’mon look at the dross he inherited. You are asking him to make a sow out of a pigs ear. Ings Ogbene Chong McGuinness Matos etc He needed some time. He’s done an excellent job to say anything other is existing bias.

What about the players that were here last year that aren't playing for him this year? Campbell, Hamer, Burrows, Cannon etc...? What about the waste of loans in january (AGAIN)? A LCB that's hardly played, one CM that picked up an immediate red card, another that's gone back to his parent club for treatment and a RB that's miles off what we've already got that the manager is committed to replacing any way he can.

At what point do you recognise that for all his badge thumping and Bigger Blade bollocks do people admit he's a limited manager that couldn't get a job anywhere else, and at this point is holding us back?

 

[coolasanidiot]

What about the players that were here last year that aren't playing for him this year? Campbell, Hamer, Burrows, Cannon etc...? What about the waste of loans in january (AGAIN)? A LCB that's hardly played, one CM that picked up an immediate red card, another that's gone back to his parent club for treatment and a RB that's miles off what we've already got that the manager is committed to replacing any way he can.

At what point do you recognise that for all his badge thumping and Bigger Blade bollocks do people admit he's a limited manager that couldn't get a job anywhere else, and at this point is holding us back?

Not yet.

 

[DeanLearner'sCat]

I see that we've gone from "this squad is shit and we're getting relegated" to "not finishing top 6 with this squad is a failure" in about 6 months.

 

[spongebobblade]

I didn't expect Wilder to "hit the ground running". I expected him to instil a structure and then go from there. He had 41 league matches which is more than enough. Steven Rosen said that he had a conversation with Wilder in "early September" before they had a face-to-face meeting in Cleveland. Jamie Hoyland was appointed as Head of Recruitment on Wilder's say-so. If you want to believe that Wilder wasn't involved in the signings at the end of the summer transfer window then be my guest but the profiles have Wilder's fingerprints all over them.

As an aside, when we sacked Sellés the table looked like this*:

View attachment 232832

I've highlighted the teams currently 3rd to 8th. They were at most 7 points ahead of us yet we've only made ground on one of them (and that side has played one fewer than us). Wilder's remit should have been to take us to the play offs.

Once again, too many Blades accept mediocrity if it's got a SUFC badge on it.

*ignoring points deductions

With the exception of Southampton (who we’ve made ground on) all had a summer of recruitment with a settled manager who knew what they needed to improve. We had a totally different mindset with the way we went about things leading to panic buying.
Do you really think Wilder was involved in signings when Selles was in charge? Really?
Bindon and Barry had played for Selles before. Godfrey along with Barry was bombed out at the earliest opportunity. He clearly doesn’t rate McGuiness and it’s been well documented that McBurnie was lined up by Wilder, wanted to return and Selles didn’t want him so I think that puts paid to your theory he was involved. You’ve failed to mention the shattered confidence of the entire squad on Wilders arrival but we can skip that bit because it doesn’t fit in with the narrative. We needed fine tuning in the summer but the board fucked up big time. This season is on them. Wilder isn’t perfect and makes mistakes but he’s dragged us up the table with a squad nothing like as good as last years with a dwindling budget. Tell me, when Selles was sacked were you still expecting us to challenge for promotion?

 

[KMC-1889]

I’d take last season over this everyday of the week. A wins a win regardless and for all the Wilder haters much as they don’t like it he did get 92. I just cannot get the thinking that a new manager can do better with the minimal investment that’s coming.

The manager that finished on 74 points is currently 11th in the Premier League.

Do you see how stupid that is as an argument? What good is 92 points when the promoted teams got 10% more and the team that finished 16 behind you tactically outclassed you (again).

Let's not forget he was clear at the top of the league with 7 games to go, and the easiest run in of all the top teams, and he bottled it.


Some of us remember our decline to league one, and remember the happy clappers that refused to hold the team, manager & owner to account to turning out some absolute tripe. That's why people are worried now. Wilder's peak was nearly 10 years ago now, he's failed multiple times at multiple teams. Apologies is asking for more than a 2 month good spell makes me 'entitled', but its OUR club not Wilders.

 

[KMC-1889]

Do you really think Wilder was involved in signings when Selles was in charge? Really?

It's a good job that Campbell, Burrows, Cannon, Hjelde, Hoever, Phillips & Rothwell have been such solid signings this season then isn't it?

If you think signing Mcburnie (who couldn't stop fit for five years here), Jimmy Dunne, Harry Darling & jon-joe Kenny would have improved this team at all then your delusional.

 

[coolasanidiot]

The manager that finished on 74 points is currently 11th in the Premier League.

Do you see how stupid that is as an argument? What good is 92 points when the promoted teams got 10% more and the team that finished 16 behind you tactically outclassed you (again).

Let's not forget he was clear at the top of the league with 7 games to go, and the easiest run in of all the top teams, and he bottled it.


Some of us remember our decline to league one, and remember the happy clappers that refused to hold the team, manager & owner to account to turning out some absolute tripe. That's why people are worried now. Wilder's peak was nearly 10 years ago now, he's failed multiple times at multiple teams. Apologies is asking for more than a 2 month good spell makes me 'entitled', but its OUR club not Wilders.

OUR club yes but you are in a massive minority- the majority did not want change at the start of the season. And again the majority want a 3rd season.

He’s getting it anyway so better to get behind him.

 

[spongebobblade]

It's a good job that Campbell, Burrows, Cannon, Hjelde, Hoever, Phillips & Rothwell have been such solid signings this season then isn't it?

If you think signing Mcburnie (who couldn't stop fit for five years here), Jimmy Dunne, Harry Darling & jon-joe Kenny would have improved this team at all then your delusional.

Well for starters Campbell, Burriws and Cannon were last years signings. The others are being judged on minutes when we knew they would need to get up to speed. Not all will work out but tell me a championship manager who has a 100% signing success rate? Not done bad this season has McBurnie? Tell me, within budget who would you suggest we signed then being such an expert? Tell me, regularly watch Kenny did you? Me neither so I don’t make judgement

 

[spongebobblade]

Let's not forget he was clear at the top of the league with 7 games to go, and the easiest run in of all the top teams, and he bottled it.

Go and check the 3 teams last 7 fixtures before you post whatever you can to beat Wilder with. Yes we lost games we should have won but we certainly didn’t have the easiest run in

 

[Balham]

With the exception of Southampton (who we’ve made ground on) all had a summer of recruitment with a settled manager who knew what they needed to improve. We had a totally different mindset with the way we went about things leading to panic buying.
Do you really think Wilder was involved in signings when Selles was in charge? Really?
Bindon and Barry had played for Selles before. Godfrey along with Barry was bombed out at the earliest opportunity. He clearly doesn’t rate McGuiness and it’s been well documented that McBurnie was lined up by Wilder, wanted to return and Selles didn’t want him so I think that puts paid to your theory he was involved. You’ve failed to mention the shattered confidence of the entire squad on Wilders arrival but we can skip that bit because it doesn’t fit in with the narrative. We needed fine tuning in the summer but the board fucked up big time. This season is on them. Wilder isn’t perfect and makes mistakes but he’s dragged us up the table with a squad nothing like as good as last years with a dwindling budget. Tell me, when Selles was sacked were you still expecting us to challenge for promotion?

There were three distinct phases of recruitment in the summer. The early, data/Sellés driven signings of Nwachukwu, Ukaki, Polendakov, Barry & Bindon; the free agent swoop for Mee and Ings when it was clear we were struggling in the early stages of the season and finally the Jamie Hoyland-led run-it-past-Chris end of window panic buys of McGuinness, Tanganga, Chong, Ogbene and Matos.

So to your first question yes, I do think Wilder was consulted on the last 5 signings because the chairman has explicitly said he was having conversations with him in early September.

To your second question: yes, it wouldn't have been unprecedented. For a man who turned us from 11th in L1 to winning the title a season later by signing a couple of frees and a couple of bargains, turning this around should have been possible. As it is, we've probably got something closer to Wilder 2.0 than Wilder 1.0.

Go and check the 3 teams last 7 fixtures before you post whatever you can to beat Wilder with. Yes we lost games we should have won but we certainly didn’t have the easiest run in

Yep - Leeds' run-in was exactly what you'd want but Burnley's was considerably harder than ours. It all came down to that game at Turf Moor and, as happens quite a lot, we blew it.
We had Oxford (finished 17th), Millwall (8th), Plymouth (23rd), Cardiff (24th), Burnley (2nd), Stoke (18th) and Blackburn (7th) in our last 7: average finish of 14th
Leeds had Swansea (11th), Luton (22nd), Boro (10th), Preston (20th), Oxford (17th), Stoke (18th), Bristol C (6th) and Plymouth (23rd): average of 18th
Burnley had Coventry (5th), Derby (19th), Norwich (13th), Watford (14th), United (3rd), QPR (15th) and Millwall (8th): average of 11th

 

[KMC-1889]

OUR club yes but you are in a massive minority- the majority did not want change at the start of the season. And again the majority want a 3rd season.

He’s getting it anyway so better to get behind him.

Very much not in a minority, as any number of threads on here or X, or Facebook, or speaking to fans in the ground will show you. In fact the ones that go to games are the ones most fed up with him.

He's just got a really, really noisy group that want the nostalgia of that 2017-19 run through the leagues.

 

[coolasanidiot]

Very much not in a minority, as any number of threads on here or X, or Facebook, or speaking to fans in the ground will show you. In fact the ones that go to games are the ones most fed up with him.

He's just got a really, really noisy group that want the nostalgia of that 2017-19 run through the leagues.

Now that is deluded.