‘We have earned the right to be here’
C
hris Wilder was
standing in his club’s
car park with his
players waiting for a
coach that would
never arrive.
He was Halifax manager, during
a period of his career when using
the club’s credit card was an
occupational hazard. As it became
obvious that transport for the
fixture at Tamworth was not
forthcoming, Wilder and the squad
scattered to make their own way.
“We had to drive from the south
of Sheffield. Not a short trip. I said
to the boys, ‘There is no point
keeping your receipts. You won’t
be getting reimbursed’,” Wilder
recalls. “These things happen.
Going into Sainsbury’s and
the credit card being
declined. Bits and pieces
like that. And not being
paid. We used to get the
cheques at the end of
the month and it
would be a mad
scramble to get them
in quickly. They
were not fond
memories through
the Halifax years.
Early days.”
Sheffield
United’s manager
operates in more
lavish circles now.
There is no football
story more romantic
than navigating from
bottom to top tier,
Wilder’s coaching career
starting at Alfreton Town
before stints at Halifax, Oxford
United and Northampton Town. It
is a voyage which empowers
Wilder to make his feistiest
observation.
“I’ve come across people who
look smart in a suit who haven’t
got a lot underneath. Football is
an unforgiving business and
you’re easily found out if
you’re a bit of a fraud.”
But he is not here to
reminisce. “You can’t sit
back, rest on laurels and
think about the past – what
the journey has been,” says
the 51-year-old. “I have had
great experiences, good and
bad. There are things you like
to avoid, but I am glad I have
been through them. Others
haven’t but that is not to say
they are not exceptional.
“I am looking forward to the
challenges ahead. When people do
books about last season and the
season before it is great to pick up
and read, but you can’t stand still.
“That was how I felt at non-
League. I never looked at it then
and said, ‘I want to be a Premier
League manager one day’. I just
wanted to do a good job and see
where it could take me. It was like
snakes and ladders, really. IA bullish Chris Wilder
tells Chris Bascombe why
his Sheffield United side
will be no pushovers
sometimes went down to get back
up. You back yourself but you need
good timing, the bounce of a ball, a
bit of luck... some managers can be
a penalty away from promotion
and four months later get the sack.
I keep myself in the present.”
Wilder and Sheffield United
defied expectations to get here and
plan likewise to stick around.
When Marcelo Bielsa turned up at
Leeds a year ago it was supposed to
lead to the great enlightening of
English coaches as we fawned at
every PowerPoint presentation.
Sheffield United wrecked that
party and there is relish in Wilder’s
observation that alongside last
year’s promotion
rivals Dean
Smith and Frank
Lampard – as
well as Northern
Ireland’s Brendan
Rodgers – he has
ensured more than a
quarter of Premier League
coaches this year are
home-grown.
“Hopefully people can take
some inspiration from that. It canhappen,” says Wilder. “There is
that perception of myself,
perception about English
managers. Go back to Howard
Wilkinson. He won the first
division with Leeds. He was a
schoolteacher, but an innovator.
“The biggest one is Sam
[Allardyce], really. He was my
manager at Notts County. Look at
what he did at Bolton in terms of
video analysis, sports science, the
way they played. The perception
for some of those guys isn’t right.
“Dave Bassett was a key
influence on me, the way he
treated and talked to people.
Wimbledon and Sheffield United
were quite direct sides and he
got the best out of what he
had, but he was an innovator.
People don’t know a lot
about that. Hewas one of the first to introduce
conditioners. He tried a
psychologist and video analysis;
he used to cut up footage and show
players. What he did was smart.”
Predictably, Sheffield United are
tipped to go straight down. Wilder
jokingly says he has watched some
of the scouts’ DVD clips of the top
six “through his fingers”, but no
one will relish the trip north.
“I don’t want the likes of
Liverpool coming to town and
owning Bramall Lane. There won’t
be any old-school flat balls or cold
tea and wet floors – but it has to be
a tough place,” he says.
Nor will Wilder seek motivation
from the miscarriage of United’s
relegation in 2007, when West
Ham were fined for breaking
ownership rules over the signings
of Carlos Tevez and Javier
Mascherano. A points deduction
would have saved the Blades.
Instead, Tevez’s goals kept West
Ham up.
“I cringe when people bring it
up or want to talk about it,” says
Wilder. “I came to the final
Premier League game here as a
punter. Obviously, it has been a
traumatic 12 years since – a few
stories in that period that are not
great. I want people to talk about
this team, not injustices of the past.
Enjoy this experience. What an
opportunity to see these
wonderful players at Bramall Lane.
A generation lost out on that.”
Wilder has invested smartly on
youth, experience – and in Ravel
Morrison, a maverick – to try to
ensure the return is not temporary.
He wants to adapt rather than
abandon the attacking football that
won promotion. And although
Wilder namechecked coaches
associated with direct football,
Sheffield United are no longer
chief exponents of the long-ball
game of the Neil Warnock era and
Wilder is credited with a more
sophisticated approach.
“If we sit on the edge of our box
we’ll get killed. You’re not getting
any points if you don’t score. You
can’t go gung-ho but I don’t want
to change our mentality. We’ve
got to stick to what we know.
‘‘We’ve got to win games.
Our acquisitions have mostly
been at the top of the pitch.
“We have earned the right
to be here. When the door
opens you have to step
through it. Be competitive
and see how it rocks up.
It is important to not
just plan for survival.
Plan to be as
successful as you
can be. If it is not
good enough you
dust yourself down
and go again. If it
is, brilliant, move
on again as we have^
every year.”
One thing is certain.
Wilder is driving rather
than waiting for the bus
now, ready to savour the
Premier League’s scenic
routes.
“I don’t have a clue how it will
pan out. As long as we’re true to
ourselves,” he says.United’s positions since last in Premier League
18th
9th
8th
23rd
3rd
5th7th
11th2nd
Premier League
2006
-072008
-092010
-112012
-132014
-152016
-172018
-19Championship
League One
10th
1st
3rd
5th
Halifax manager, during
of his career when using
credit card was an
onal hazard. As it became
hat transport for the
Tamworth was not
ing, Wilder and the squad
to make their own way.
ad to drive from the south
ld. Not a short trip. I said
ys, ‘There is no point
your receipts. You won’t
g reimbursed’,” W ilder
These things happen.
o Sainsbury’s and
card being
Bits and pieces
And not being
used to get the
at the end of
h and it
a mad
to get them
y. They
fond
s through
ax years.
s.”
ld
managerr
in more
cles now.
no football
re romantic
gating from
o top tier,
coaching career
t Alfreton Town
nts at Halifax, Oxford
nd Northampton Town. It
e which empowers
makehisfeistiest
on.
ome across people who
rt in a suit who haven’t
underneath. Football is
giving business and
sily found out if
it of a fraud.”
is not here to
e. “You can’t sit
on laurels and
ut the past – what
ey has been,” says
ar-old. “I have had
eriences, good and
e are things you like
but I am glad I have
ugh them. Others
ut that is not to say
not exceptional.
ooking forward to the
s ahead. When people do
out last season and the
fore it is great to pick up
but you can’t stand still.
was how I felt at non-
never looked at it then
‘I want to be a Premier
manager one day’. I just
o do a good job and see
could take me. It was like
d ladders, really. ISheffield United wrecked that
party and there is relish in Wilder’s
observation that alongside last
year’s promotion
rirvals Dean
SmS ith and Frank
LLampard – as
well as Northern
Ireland’s Brendan
Rodgers – he has
ensured more than a
quarter of Premier League
coaches this year are
home-grown.
“Hopefully people can take
some inspiration from that. It canhappen,” says Wilder. “There is
that perception of myself,
perception about English
managers. Go back to Howard
Wilkinson. He won the first
division with Leeds. He was a
schoolteacher, but an innovator.
“The biggest one is Sam
[Allardyce], really. He was my
manager at Notts County. Look at
what he did at Bolton in terms of
video analysis, sports science, the
way they played. The perception
for some of those guys isn’t right.
“Dave Bassett was a key
influence on me, the way he
trtrreated and talked to people.
WiWmbledon and Sheffield United
wewre quite direct sides and he
gogt the best out of what he
hahd, but he was an innovator.
People don’t know a lot
about that. Hetea and wet floors –
a tough place,” he sa
Nor will Wilder s
from the miscarriag
relegation in 2007,
Ham were fined for
ownership rules ov
of Carlos Tevez and
Mascherano. A poin
would have savedth
Instead, Tevez’s goa
Ham up.
“I cringe whenp
up or want to talka
Wilder. “I came tot
Premier League gam
punter. Obviously,i
traumatic 12 yearss
stories in that perio
great. I want people
this team, not injus
Enjoy this experien
opportunity to seet
wonderful players a
A generation lost ou
Wilder has invest
youth, experience –
Morrison, a maveri
ensure the return is
He wants to adapt r
abandon the attack
won promotion. An
Wilder namecheck
associated with dire
Sheffield United are
chief exponents oft
game of the NeilWa
Wilder is creditedw
sophisticated appro
“If we sit on the e
we’ll get killed. You
any points if you do
can’t gogung-hob
to change our me
got to stick to wh
‘‘We’ve got to
Our acquisition
been at the top
“We have ea
to be here. Wh
opens you hav
through it. B
and see ho
It is imp
juj st pl
Plan
succ
can
goo
dus
and
is, b
on ag
every
One t
Wilder is
than waitin
now, ready to
Premier League
routes.
“I don’t have a clu
pan out. As long as
ourselves,”he says.7th
League One 11 thUndaunted: Chris
Wilder is
embracing the
challenge ahead:
‘I don’t want to
change our
mentality’, he
saysINTERVIEW
Sport Football
8 *** Wednesday 7 August 2019 The Daily Telegraph
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