da pinnacle： When all is said and done at the end of the campaign Chris Wilder deserves to be in the hat for Manager of the Season.
da dobrowin： The Sheffield United boss has worked wonders with his team, taking them from League One to a place below the Champions League spots.
After Manchester City’s ban, fifth position in the Premier League will now take home a spot among Europe’s elite for 2020/21.
For a team working on a shoestring budget such as the Blades, it would be an almighty story if they qualified, one bigger than many could have imagined.
That is thanks to Wilder, a Yorkshire lad and Sheffield United supporter who is coaching the team he loves.
He brings a vibrant personality to proceedings, he says it how it is and most importantly, his tactics are spot on.
They suit the Blades perfectly – two strikers working with wing-backs either side of them and a three-man defence. It’s not your typical way to go in 2020 but it works for United.
They’re sixth in the league and after beating Bournemouth, are showing no signs of slowing down. But it’s not just tactically where Wilder has excelled.
In fact, it’s mentally where they look as strong as anyone in the top-flight. This is something that’s incredibly hard to get right but he’s instilled a sense of togetherness in the club that’s so rarely felt around the leagues.
Sheffield United may not possess the money that some of the big six have, but psychologically they’re ahead of the game. Before they beat the Cherries, BT Sport interviewed Wilder as they took former footballer Robbie Savage behind the scenes of their training ground.
On the wall was a plethora of media criticism aimed at the squad. Whether it was the Blades being tipped to finish rock bottom or not being deemed good enough for the division, Wilder had pinned those thoughts up in a bid for extra motivation.
For away day veterans only: Can you name all of these defunct stadiums?
It’s rare to see that sort of method in play but it’s been inspirational. The 52-year-old may be old fashioned in his approach at times, but tapping into sports psychology is a modern advancement.
Exposing your players to such harsh criticism isn’t the greatest of ideas on paper but it’s clearly worked. The Blades are nowhere near the relegation zone and rather remarkably they sit in the European places.
The chorus over the summer will be whether they are just a one-season wonder, but Wilder’s men have already dispelled even greater criticism. You wouldn’t bet against another fairytale from playing out.
In other Blades news, the club are targetting a £20m+ addition ahead of the summer…