- 11 months ago
Chris Wilder's first press conference after his Sheffield United return
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00:00:00Hello, Chris. Welcome back. First of all, how are you feeling?
00:00:03Yeah, good. Really good. Energised, obviously. I had a break and delighted to be given the opportunity of changing the fortunes of the football club as it is now.
00:00:15Chris, can you just give us a bit of insight what the last 48 hours have been like, your conversations with the ownership?
00:00:21I mean, especially after how last season ended, what have those conversations been like?
00:00:25Yeah, pretty quick turnaround, obviously. So, conversations with all the owners as well and Steve and Betty, so I'd like to thank as well on the record for his contribution to all this as well.
00:00:41So, yeah, just the normal conversations, I should imagine. First of all, we'll be prepared to come back, of course.
00:00:49I wanted to come back to help the club first and foremost, really, in the position that they're in.
00:00:54I think, you know, I'm in a unique position. As everybody knows, everybody's possibly bored of hearing, really, sort of my sort of journey and my affiliation and affection for this football club.
00:01:05And obviously, it's not in a great position at the moment, but that's not a permanent position.
00:01:11So, you know, what we would do to change things around, what you would bring to the table to help change around the fortunes of the club in the situation it is at the moment.
00:01:24So, yeah, frank and honest discussions. I was delighted to get that opportunity. I thought it speaks volumes about the owners.
00:01:33I know there's been a lot of talk and the narrative would be about, you know, reconsidering me to come back to help the football club.
00:01:41But I think it just shows you what they're about as human beings as well. Decision that they made, of course, in the summer, I was really disappointed with.
00:01:52Of course, I was going to be. But I respected it. You know, I've done enough interviews and, you know, my words from myself to everybody who wanted to hear them.
00:02:07There was, you know, no fallout decision that was made. It was their choice to make those decisions.
00:02:16I respected it and accepted it and wish the club all the best. So, you know, that's been an ongoing relationship with the ownership group and the investors since the decision was made.
00:02:31And, yeah, delighted to be back and working with, you know, which one of the things that it did excite me about, it was, you know, a talented group of players.
00:02:42There's a reason why I was asked back and there is a reason why the club is in this situation, I've got to say, which I had frank discussion with the group straight away was, you know,
00:02:58they have to take responsibility for an ownership of the position that they're in.
00:03:03They can't just pile it on certain aspects of what's happened before and they recognise that.
00:03:11And knowing, obviously, a lot of the players that have been kept on and were here last season and knowing a lot of the players that have come into the building,
00:03:23I mean, you know, Tanganga, me, Mark McGuinness, Danny Ings, Cheo Bonnet, all those guys, experienced players, I know a lot about them as well.
00:03:35Chongi as well. So, knowing what the club has done from a recruitment point of view, I'm excited to get going and hopefully turn around the fortunes of the football club.
00:03:45You talk about being a talented group of players, you saw some lovely videos of you reuniting with some of those players this morning.
00:03:52I mean, with the players you know and with those new players, what has that kind of being reunited felt like, do you think, on both ends?
00:03:59Well, yeah, I mean, I'd like to think that they were quite happy to see me. Time will tell, but, you know, when you're a manager of a football club, you know,
00:04:12you don't just pick the team on a Saturday afternoon. You get to know these guys and relationships that are built up, you know, through challenges that we had last season.
00:04:20You know, as I said, I think internally in football, everybody recognised the challenge that we had, maybe not externally, but internally right the way through the season, from the start of the season,
00:04:32through the passing of George and through a difficult sort of situation there and the highs and lows and obviously ultimately ending in incredible disappointment in terms of what happened at Wembley.
00:04:46So you build up the relationships with guys, not just over a short period, over medium to long-term period.
00:04:54I've seen, you know, these guys come through, played a major part in the majority, not all of them, coming through the building over the last sort of 16, 17 months.
00:05:06And knowing the guys that have recently signed, yeah, there's some boys there that have not had that relationship with me, not had that experience.
00:05:14I'm looking forward to building those as well, but certainly there was a strong rapport between myself, the coaches and the players.
00:05:25We're a tight-knit group. We went through a lot, you know, and we fought for each other daily.
00:05:29We fell out quite often. We loved each other quite a lot and I'm looking forward to reuniting them and helping them.
00:05:39You know, there are, let's be honest with you, you know, you've seen the clips, you've seen sort of the results and the performances,
00:05:47especially over the last two or three games. They're down. They look a bit beat up.
00:05:51They look a bit broken and their spirits need lifting. They need raising.
00:05:55They need galvanising. I think the supporters need galvanising as well and hopefully this appointment will do that.
00:06:02The staff certainly as well, you know, working with the staff over a number of years as well.
00:06:06Myself and now building that relationship and with the players, you know, they're down, they need lifting.
00:06:15And one of the reasons I'll come back, I'm excited about what can be achieved and looking forward to it.
00:06:23Just last one from you, Chris, you talk about galvanising the team. So short term, how do you do that?
00:06:28But then also long term this season, is promotion still the target?
00:06:34Well, you know, I just think, you know, when you look at maybe the modern game as well, there's a lot talked about, you know,
00:06:41from the tactical point of view and the style and things like that. And we've all got that.
00:06:48We've all, you know, I still think that, you know, sometimes I think it's a little bit disrespectful that people think that you're not up to scratch in terms from a tactical approach.
00:06:59You know, three or four years ago, we were producing some stuff that everybody was taking notice of.
00:07:04So I think that's quite disrespectful, you know, to get 92 points and what we did last year, we've got to be pretty much on point on a lot of things.
00:07:11Ultimately, as I said at the time, to finish third with two teams finishing with 100 points, you know, is OK to decent.
00:07:22I'll let other people talk about that. But, you know, we talk about leadership skills as well and management of players, you know, the human beings that, you know, they have to be managed daily.
00:07:34They have to be managed through game to game, you know, for the highs of winning, for the lows of winning, for the highs of playing, for the lows of being left out, for injuries, for everything else.
00:07:43You know, this isn't just a game based on a computer, it's a game based on a lot of aspects and through time you learn to build.
00:07:55I think sometimes people don't realise how difficult it is to build something and most certainly I don't think people realise how difficult it is to win a game of football, especially at championship level.
00:08:06So small steps, the players have been outstanding over the last couple of days.
00:08:11I don't think that's a manager bounce. I think they genuinely are a talented group that want to do well, that's been assembled.
00:08:19You know, the owners have supported it over the last two or three weeks in terms of the acquisitions that they've made.
00:08:27And this is a strong group of players that I believe if led right and given the right processes, getting back to the culture of what has made us a decent side over a number of years,
00:08:40taking into account that we've had a couple of disappointments in there, but it's been a decent period for the football club and I'm really looking forward to opening the club.
00:08:49You know, it's not about me.
00:08:51You know, maybe there's a couple of people, you know, even from a Sheffield United point of view looking to go a different direction.
00:08:56I don't want that to be the narrative where pro-Chef United, pro-CW supporters and people that really didn't want me back.
00:09:04I think it's a time that, especially now, we have to reunite and give the players the best opportunity producing the best performance on Saturday.
00:09:11And hopefully we can do that, make that shirt as light as possible.
00:09:15I'm incredibly excited and looking forward to walking out at Bramall Lane and hopefully helping the players to get a positive result.
00:09:24We need a result and I'm sure that if we get that result against the Tide that's had a decent season last year,
00:09:35culminating in a Wembley appearance and a promotion, if we get a result, then we can get our season up and running and we work from there.
00:09:44Cheers, Dan.
00:09:45Chris, welcome back.
00:09:51Thanks, Rob.
00:09:52What did the owners say to you when they ultimately offered you the chance to come back?
00:09:57And what was your reaction?
00:10:00I don't think you'd be surprised about my reaction.
00:10:04As I said, I've come back to help the football club.
00:10:07I'm in a unique situation.
00:10:08Quite easily, I could have not taken up the opportunity.
00:10:14It's amazing maybe how your stock goes up when you're not even in work and you're not even on the side of a pitch.
00:10:23But, you know, there it is.
00:10:26To help the football club.
00:10:27To restore a little bit of pride, restore some belief into the players and get us out of the position that we're in.
00:10:38You know, it's certainly a position that the owners weren't expecting the club to be in.
00:10:43But we are.
00:10:43They are for a reason.
00:10:44And as I said, the players have to accept some responsibility for that, Rob.
00:10:48You know, bottom of the league in duels.
00:10:51You know, bottom three or four in terms of running stats.
00:10:58The game doesn't change.
00:11:00The fight in the players has to be shown.
00:11:02And that shows that they're not fighting.
00:11:05And at the moment, they're not running around.
00:11:08People can talk about the reasons why they're not doing that.
00:11:11But first and foremost, I don't compromise on those aspects of the game.
00:11:16And the top guys don't compromise.
00:11:18So, if people think in the Premier League, people don't run around and don't tackle and don't compete,
00:11:24then they're completely off what football is all about.
00:11:31Football is about winning games of football.
00:11:33You know, and I've always said, you know, you look at a championship and there's maybe sort of 10 to 15 games where you play well.
00:11:39There's a group in the middle there, maybe 10 to 15 games.
00:11:43And there's a group of games where you don't play well.
00:11:47And it's how you approach every game and how you get results.
00:11:51We'd all love to play champagne football and do maybe what Leeds United did last season and play this free-flowing game with the players that they had.
00:12:00But that wasn't the situation that we were put in at the start of the season.
00:12:03And you have to grind out results and, by up or by crook, gain those results through different qualities.
00:12:10We have the players to do everything here, to fight and to grind one out and to play decent football.
00:12:17You know, we were in the middle of it, of course.
00:12:19And as I said, I understand and respect the decision made.
00:12:23But picking up from where we sort of left off in terms of our build and development, I'm really looking forward to.
00:12:31If it was any other football club, would you have said, you've made your bed, sleep in it?
00:12:37Possibly, yeah.
00:12:37Yeah, possibly, yeah.
00:12:39This is a special club for me.
00:12:40So, and as you know, a unique club for me.
00:12:43So, yeah, I possibly would say yeah to that.
00:12:47What have the last few weeks shown about what you achieved last season and what it takes to be successful in the championship?
00:12:55You know, I let people talk about sort of last season.
00:12:59It is really important that we look forward to what this group can achieve, how tough the championship is.
00:13:05You know, other people can talk where that was at and they'll have their different opinions and some might be negative on it and some might be positive and some might be in between.
00:13:14But generally, you know, when you come out of the Premier League, you know, you're beaten and broke as seen when you were following it in terms of where the football club was at.
00:13:27So to get into the pre-season and then add the players in the manner that we did and whatever.
00:13:35You know, building a lot of things that you need, a lot of requirements.
00:13:39So, you know, I'm delighted, as I said, to be given the opportunity.
00:13:44I think we're in the early steps.
00:13:46It has to be small steps.
00:13:48Can we win games of football?
00:13:49Yes, with this group.
00:13:51Can we win a bunch of games?
00:13:52I believe we did.
00:13:53And I'm excited about that.
00:13:55And that's one of the big things that, you know, attracted me back into it.
00:13:58And the attitude of the owners and Stephen as well.
00:14:01You know, hugely impressed.
00:14:03And as I said, quite easily they could have gone down another direction, another path.
00:14:09And they didn't.
00:14:11So huge respect to them on that.
00:14:13And enjoyed sort of my conversations with the owners when, you know, potentially there was an opportunity, possibility of coming back.
00:14:23And moving and collaborating with them as well.
00:14:27I know there's a lot of talk about, you know, AI and whatever.
00:14:30I always think it's a collaboration of everything.
00:14:32I think they've made some smart signings as well.
00:14:34The back end of the window.
00:14:37In terms of the likes of Chong and Tanganga and Danny Ings and Ben Mee and Obonai.
00:14:43To give the group that experience.
00:14:46The third youngest group in the division last season as well.
00:14:49So to bring it all together and build on that.
00:14:52Yeah, it feels as if we've got another points deduction.
00:14:54But we'll work off to the back of that.
00:14:56But small steps and starting on Saturday.
00:14:58We need a big week.
00:14:59I told the players we need a big week this week.
00:15:02So far we have.
00:15:04And tomorrow needs to be a big week.
00:15:06A big day.
00:15:07Even though it's their day off.
00:15:08To prepare like winners.
00:15:09To prepare like they need to.
00:15:12To give us the best opportunity of going into Thursday and into Friday.
00:15:16And hitting the ground.
00:15:17The atmosphere on Saturday will be absolutely electric in my opinion.
00:15:20And I think everybody who supports us.
00:15:24And realises that.
00:15:26The support that I've had personally.
00:15:28Is humbling as well.
00:15:29Well, you know, maybe it's not universal I'd get.
00:15:33But, you know, the people that have sort of talked to me.
00:15:37And talked about over, you know, these past disappointing weeks.
00:15:42About an opportunity of returning.
00:15:43And giving that opportunity amount of message that I've had.
00:15:47I really thank them for the support.
00:15:49But the biggest thing is that we support that team on Saturday afternoon.
00:15:53Because they need that.
00:15:54They need the lift.
00:15:55They need the lift and the energy of the supporters.
00:16:01They need the belief of the supporters.
00:16:03Which I believe that they have got.
00:16:04They certainly have got my backing.
00:16:07And my belief.
00:16:08Because, you know, first and foremost.
00:16:10I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe we could achieve anything.
00:16:13The owners are relatively new to English football still.
00:16:17In your conversations with them over the last few days.
00:16:19Have they conceded that maybe some ideas were not right?
00:16:24Have they even maybe apologised to you?
00:16:27No, I wasn't looking for an apology.
00:16:30Or, you know, I'm not looking to come in and I'm not smug about the situation.
00:16:34It's my football club at the bottom of the division.
00:16:36Played six, lost six.
00:16:37That ain't a good place.
00:16:39You know, we're not looked at, you know, in the football world as in a good place at the moment.
00:16:46You know, there's obviously a lack of respect to the football club, which has to be owned at the moment.
00:16:53And we have and I have to help the players.
00:16:56And we have the opportunity and the ability to change that around.
00:16:58So I'm not smug about the situation.
00:17:00I'm not sat back and thinking, oh, that's great.
00:17:02They lost.
00:17:03I think some managers might be, but I'm not.
00:17:06It's my life.
00:17:07It's my pal's life.
00:17:08It's my family's life, as we all know.
00:17:10And we want the club to succeed, of course.
00:17:14So, you know, and I'm not banging about that, you know, and you get some, you know, go in there and you tell them and you need to tell them what to do and you need to tell them.
00:17:23No, I love working with people.
00:17:25Like I said, the attitude of the owners has been great for them to initially approach me, the attitude of Steve, to make that call and us to have that chat.
00:17:38Sort of gives a good feel and a good vibe about the place.
00:17:43And, you know, these are humble guys as well, the owners, and they don't do well in their own particular businesses and careers without making now and again decisions that maybe they look back on and go, you know, maybe I shouldn't have made that decision.
00:17:59Me too.
00:18:00There's always that reflection on everything you do, you know, whether it's training, whether it's picking the right team, whether it's changing the team, whether it's formation, whether it's tactics.
00:18:09There's always that reflection and maybe I should have done this or maybe I should have done that.
00:18:15But you live in the moment, you make the decision that you feel is right for you at that particular time or right for the football club.
00:18:21So they've been really positive, positive, forward-thinking, forward-looking discussions with the ownership groups.
00:18:32And I've spoke to the majority of them as well.
00:18:36You know it's not just like the previous regime where it was just one guy and some advisors wrapped around Prince Abdullah.
00:18:44You know, there's a number of people there.
00:18:46And I've had messages off every one of them wishing me all the best.
00:18:50So that fills me with a great sense of enthusiasm, pride and support that they want us to change.
00:18:58And obviously you've seen the statement that they made in terms of my return to the club.
00:19:05There's a few players who were excellent for your last season, have not quite reached that level of performance so far this year.
00:19:12How do you get them back to the level from last year, do you think?
00:19:15Well, you know, there's all different ways to motivate people.
00:19:20Some need maybe a bit of a bar cut and some need maybe a little bit of a shoulder on.
00:19:24And I think that's what we were talking about.
00:19:26It isn't just done on a tactics board.
00:19:29There's a lot that goes into it in terms of getting the best out of a group.
00:19:32And we've managed to do that for a lot of my period of my time here from 2016.
00:19:41Getting a pint out of a half-pint pot is key.
00:19:43But we've got some talented players here that are underperforming without a shadow of a doubt.
00:19:47I think we all know that.
00:19:49Putting them in the right positions, in my opinion, will be key.
00:19:51Making sure they win the battles, win the eddies, win the races and play.
00:19:56You know, there's a thing that's still up there in the auditorium.
00:20:00Outrun, outfight, outplay.
00:20:04And the two have to come from them.
00:20:07And then we'll give them a process and the belief and the encouragement to go and get back to the standards that they've shown.
00:20:13Whether it's Gus, Championship Player of the Year, whether it's Harrison or whoever it is.
00:20:19You know, they're all underperforming at the moment.
00:20:21You know, I possibly can take maybe a couple of the newer signings that have just, you know, just making their mark at Sheffield United.
00:20:30But they've come to be successful.
00:20:33And the other players, you know, join the club to win games of football.
00:20:38They have won games of football in the past.
00:20:40And as I said before, Rob, this team can win and should be winning.
00:20:47And that's what has to be our short-term goal.
00:20:50One of the big talking points in the last game was Gus Harmer on the bench against Ipswich.
00:20:54Is it safe to say that he'll be playing for you this weekend?
00:20:58Yeah, he's got a good chance of.
00:21:01So he's a player that I love.
00:21:04And we, you know, we have a few little bits and pieces as well.
00:21:07But we need him at the top of the pitch.
00:21:10That's where we need him.
00:21:11We don't need him in a different position than what, you know, he has been occupying or has seen by me watching the games, really.
00:21:21We need him at the top of the pitch.
00:21:22We need him whatever, you know, whatever he plays as a 10 or off a side.
00:21:28Combinations, slide balls, crosses, assists, goals, big moments.
00:21:32You know, he's arguably the best player in the division at the moment.
00:21:37He isn't the best player in the division and we're not the best team, but he has that ability to raise his game and super confident that we can get the best out of him.
00:21:51Alan Nill and Matt Prestridge, will they join you?
00:21:53Yeah, both back.
00:21:54Yeah, I mean, we're looking to freshen up the backroom staff as well.
00:22:00You know, we lost Jack to Brentford, Jack Lester to Brentford.
00:22:03So, the ownership group and Steve are very enthusiastic about what we can do as well.
00:22:14So, there'll be a couple of different faces coming into the coaching group as well, which we're really looking forward to.
00:22:21So, I think that freshens it up for me, I think it freshens it up for the players and Alan as well.
00:22:27Mickey Collins, who I've got an enormous amount of respect for, will be, you know, promoted back into the first team group and will take a more prominent part than he has done recently and to what he did last season.
00:22:41Very good young up-and-coming coach.
00:22:43And, you know, there as well is a pathway for the coaches in the academy to go into the senior management group and Mickey will be back with us and in time we'll announce the, hopefully, the additions to help us and help the players.
00:23:03Could you get back into the promotion mix?
00:23:06Well, one game at a time, but it's not impossible.
00:23:09Statistically, it's been shown that a team in our position, you know, can win games of football and go on a run.
00:23:16But, you know, as I said, we're not in a great position at the moment.
00:23:18So, small steps, but first and foremost, making sure we get every day right.
00:23:24And that includes, you know, yesterday and today, which, to be fair, they've been outstanding.
00:23:30And going forward into Thursday, into Friday and into the first game, let's get that first win on the board and let's try and build a little bit of momentum, a bit of belief, repair the boys, put them back in their natural positions, put a bit of belief into them, put a bit of organisation.
00:23:52And as well, you know, a bit more of a culture reset.
00:23:57Sheffield United is not a team that is bottom of the division on duels or running distances.
00:24:02There might be some other clubs that, you know, and I'm not going to particularly, you know, name those teams that think about that side of the game more than the other side.
00:24:15I always think the most successful teams are good at both.
00:24:21We've got the ability to be good at both.
00:24:24I think we all understand and want to see and know what a good Sheffield United team looks like.
00:24:33The supporters do.
00:24:37And getting back to the basic principles of winning a game of football, that ain't old school.
00:24:44That's right school.
00:24:46You've mentioned a couple of times, sort of bringing everybody together and you made reference.
00:24:52We don't want it to be CW in and those are against.
00:24:55I think the people who have maybe have been negative are in the minority, but what is your message to those people who are out there if they have those opinions?
00:25:04Well, listen, everybody's got the opinions on everything, you know, so whether it's selection or signing of players collectively as well and whatever happens at a football club is a lot of things go off internally that people don't get to know about and rightly so.
00:25:21But there is support the team, you know, and put aside at three o'clock to five o'clock on a Saturday afternoon and give those players the best opportunity winning games of football.
00:25:35We all want to see our team win.
00:25:40You know, I even think I saw a couple of things sort of the back end of the season and, you know, not going to Wembley and not wanting to see it and not wanting to win and stuff like that and staying in division.
00:25:51How can you ever not want your team to win a game of football?
00:25:54It's absolutely ridiculous.
00:25:55How can you never want your team not to win a game or your players not to play well?
00:26:01It's absolutely outrageous.
00:26:03We all want the players to play well.
00:26:04We all want to give everything for the badge, leave everything out there and win a game of football.
00:26:10So if it's a minority, I get it, you know, I don't agree with it, but I don't think there's very few managers that have it.
00:26:20I have 100% universal support from everybody, you know, even saw bits and pieces sort of last season regarding Pep and what he's achieved.
00:26:31So you have to deal with it, it's part and parcel.
00:26:33The majority of it's on social media where the loudest get heard, but everybody I've bumped into wants the team to do well.
00:26:42And mad Chef United support us and want us to win and want us to start climbing the table.
00:26:46Quick final question.
00:26:47You've had so much success, great relationship with this club over the years.
00:26:51What do you want this latest chapter to look like?
00:26:54What's the ideal thing?
00:26:55Win games of football, short term to win games of football, medium term to win enough games of football to put us in and around it at Christmas time.
00:27:04Reflect and analyse through these next, what is it, 23, what did we play, 5?
00:27:1418 games.
00:27:16Reflect and analyse over these next 18 games.
00:27:20Have a look to see what we need to do.
00:27:21I'm not so sure we need to do a lot if I get a tune out of this group, which I'm sure we can do.
00:27:27And they play to their potential and their ability, what they've done previously at clubs, what they've done here, bringing it together.
00:27:35It's certainly not a broken changing room in terms of team spirit.
00:27:39They just look a little bit broken in terms of the sort of identity of the football team at the moment.
00:27:45I'm sure that, you know, there'll be discussions about what we can do to improve and maybe players might, you know, I look at the group now and I think there's 29 pros in there, which is far too many.
00:27:59So there'll be some players, you know, moving on and going out the building to trim that down a little bit.
00:28:05And hopefully we're in a position in and around, you know, December where, you know, we can have a positive January transfer window.
00:28:14As I said, I don't think there's a big amount of business to be done, really.
00:28:20And we can have an exciting second part of the season and who knows where it can take us.
00:28:26First and foremost, we've got to get this week right and got to get Saturday right.
00:28:31And hopefully, you know, the feeling walking out that ground at five o'clock will be a different one to what everybody's had to deal with recently.
00:28:41All the best, Chris.
00:28:42Cheers, Rob. Thank you.
00:28:43Cheers, Rob.
00:28:44Hi, Chris. Welcome back.
00:28:46You touched on it with Dan there about being energised by the break that you've had.
00:28:50Just give us a little insight into what that's been like for you on a personal level.
00:28:54Is there anything that you can perhaps take into this spell that you've learned in that time?
00:28:58No. It feels as if it's been a little bit of a, me and Francesca have had a little bit of a European and world tour life.
00:29:09I've had the ability to get away, but you take up that opportunity when it comes to you.
00:29:18Because, you know, I want to work and I'm delighted to be working back at our football club.
00:29:28So, no, not really.
00:29:31You reflect as well, of course, and you move forward.
00:29:36But, you know, I always thought I was confident that we'd be back working again.
00:29:41I always think that you look at it and you go, not everybody can win.
00:29:46And the championship is such a league that everybody wants success in it and everybody can't have success in it.
00:29:55Some teams have started well, some teams have started OK and some teams have started poorly.
00:30:00And I think everybody knows the name of the game that if you don't get out of the traps and you don't win games of football,
00:30:06especially as a big club that was sort of at sights set on returning to the Premier League,
00:30:12then there's going to be changes made, whether there were changes made here or in the next four or five games at other clubs.
00:30:20So, yeah, I'm not done yet.
00:30:24I want to work.
00:30:25I want to succeed.
00:30:25My hunger and desire personally is as big as it's ever been and getting back to work.
00:30:35You know, being not back for pre-season, being not on the side of a pitch, watching games,
00:30:43which I've watched a few games as well, been to a few games as well, doesn't fit well with me.
00:30:48It's not natural for me.
00:30:49It's a place where I've been for close to, if not over a thousand games and it's something that I love doing and it's my passion.
00:31:02Is Frank glad to get you out of the hair then?
00:31:03100%.
00:31:04I think that's the reason that I took it because I was getting booted out, that booted out the door.
00:31:09So, she's absolutely delighted.
00:31:12When something like this happens, all the cliches about being, you know, point approved and being refreshed and, you know, as determined as ever will be sort of put out there.
00:31:21Do you feel that?
00:31:21Do you feel like you have something to, not something to prove in a negative way?
00:31:25I don't think I'm on my CV and proud of the journey, but that's gone.
00:31:29All that stuff has gone and, you know, you look for the next challenge and you look for the next success.
00:31:37You know, it's something that you crave.
00:31:40You'll never be tired of that winning feeling, never be tired of that Saturday afternoon feeling at five o'clock when the final whistle goes and you run a game of football.
00:31:48You know, the buzz and the adrenaline and the energy that it gives you before and after and coming back into work, you know, it's been fabulous.
00:31:58Fabulous working with players, interacting with players, trying to help them.
00:32:02You know, it's a big thing and ultimately trying to help them, but most importantly, trying to help our football club.
00:32:08As I say, you've always been someone who plans short, medium, long term.
00:32:12We've talked about medium and long term.
00:32:13In the short term, how much is it for you about restoring that identity to this football club?
00:32:17Because that feels like it's been lost in this early part of the season.
00:32:21Well, there's just two statistics when everybody talks about statistics for me.
00:32:26There's two statistics that I've talked about.
00:32:28You know, there's no way that the club, you know, if you said to Liverpool, you'd be bottom of the league on jewels.
00:32:36The likes of Jurgen Klopp would be absolutely doing his nothing.
00:32:39You know, I think sometimes people don't realise, you know, outside the football, sort of a culture and non-negotiables and not compromising on the likes of these principles of playing a game, a competitive game.
00:33:01That, you know, I've had the ability and opportunity to stand next to the best operators in the world.
00:33:15You know, Pep and Jurgen Klopp and the likes, you know, the big hitters of the game.
00:33:30And don't be surprised that they want to win and they want tackles to be made and they want races to be run and they want their team to run around.
00:33:38Because if you don't, you're not going to get control of the ball.
00:33:43You're not going to, it's all different.
00:33:45I keep going about tactical, I'm not going to go on about it.
00:33:47It's all different ways of winning.
00:33:48You know, I'm not tied down, you know.
00:33:52You know, I'll deviate from one to the other to win.
00:33:56I think that's always in us.
00:33:59And I think, especially, I think I was listening to, you know, Southampton.
00:34:03I did, when I worked for Sky in the first game of the season and watched the Southampton game,
00:34:08I was listening before and the manager was talking about these supporters have been beaten up and broken pretty much like we were the previous year.
00:34:15And they just want their team to win.
00:34:17They didn't care how it was happening.
00:34:18We all want it to be beautiful champagne.
00:34:21Fortunately, that isn't the case.
00:34:23And I think I know enough about the footballing championship.
00:34:27Unless you're blowing everybody away financially, then it's going to be a scrap at times.
00:34:34And at times you all want it to go well and you want it to be like we did against Bristol City, 3-0 up, you know, 3-0 up away from home and 3-0 up at home.
00:34:43And it's all lovely and great and calm and super.
00:34:48But it isn't like that.
00:34:50So, you know, that's what we're looking to do and, you know, get back the culture of the football club that's made this club win games of football over a number of years.
00:35:04And give us that culture that we're known and how it represents us.
00:35:19Yeah.
00:35:19There's obviously a lot of players, you touched on this, that you remember from or you worked with last time.
00:35:23There's a few new ones as well.
00:35:24Some have gone, some have come in.
00:35:26As we sit here now, do you have a clear picture on how to get the best out of this squad?
00:35:30Or is it something that might take a bit of time to...
00:35:32No, 100%.
00:35:33100% know what we're doing.
00:35:35Yeah.
00:35:36I'll try and make that work.
00:35:38We'll try and make that work.
00:35:40There's buy-in from the players 100%.
00:35:42You know, I'm looking at the body language over the last two days and I'm looking into their eyes.
00:35:46They want to do well.
00:35:47Players that have come here want to do well.
00:35:49Players that played last season want to get back to that feeling of a togetherness, of a group that's successful, winning and fighting for each other and playing decent stuff and winning games of football.
00:36:02So, they want to get back.
00:36:03I'm seeing that.
00:36:04You know, I'm not seeing it.
00:36:06You know, if it was, you know, I'm coming into a team where I think, you know, this is an oil tanker.
00:36:15It's not an oil tanker.
00:36:16Hopefully, we can turn it around pretty quickly.
00:36:18You know, I feel we can.
00:36:19We have that ability in the coaching set up and from my point of view to get a tune out of these players.
00:36:31Along the way, we might have some dips in the road.
00:36:33What happens at every club?
00:36:36What's the reaction like to that?
00:36:38I've got to say, not being super, has it?
00:36:41The reaction to defeat, you know, you don't like losing one.
00:36:45You certainly don't like losing two.
00:36:46So, we have to get that sort of mentality back into us and the belief and what we're really about and what we want it to look like.
00:36:55Obviously, this time around, the deficit is perhaps a little bit bigger than it was last season.
00:36:59But is that experience of last season, minus two, starting behind the eight ball, something you can perhaps lead on this time around?
00:37:05I'll certainly take 92 points from this position.
00:37:09I'm not sure that'll be attainable.
00:37:10But we'll go game by game and small steps.
00:37:17Starting Saturday, as I said to Rob, really looking forward to it.
00:37:22I get a vibe living in the city that it's going to be a special atmosphere at Bramall Lane to make it as hostile and uncomfortable for the opposition as possible.
00:37:30And give those players, as I said, regardless of my situation or whatever, players need a lift.
00:37:37And they may not have earned that right at the moment.
00:37:41But let's put all that to one side and let's get rocking and rolling and get back to where we know we can get back to.
00:37:48Last one from me, we talked about Gus with Rob, but is he going to keep the armband?
00:37:54Yeah, no, it's a discussion to have and we've got to pick the right one for that.
00:38:01So whether it's Gus or whether I take that off him and just get him to concentrate on his own game and being that player,
00:38:08a championship player of the season where we all saw, you know, his contribution to the team was absolutely outstanding.
00:38:16Got the X factor, you know, goals he scored, the assists he created, his work ethic.
00:38:24You know, he has the ability to be one of, if not the best player in the championship.
00:38:31And I know Gus wants, you know, I've already had a chat with him.
00:38:33I know he wants to get back to that.
00:38:35You know, he knows that, you know, maybe his standards have slipped as well.
00:38:39So he has to, as they all do, understand and take responsibility for that and ownership of it.
00:38:47But, you know, in there is a good lad.
00:38:50He's a good kid and he's an exceptional football player.
00:38:55Thank you. Cheers.
00:38:56Cheers, mate.
00:38:58Cheers, Rob.
00:39:00Hi, Chris. Good to see you again.
00:39:01And you.
00:39:01Given the way things ended in June, there's been speculation about directors of football or go-betweens between yourself and the board.
00:39:10Will anything change sort of structurally to ease that, you know, make that process easier?
00:39:16No, there has been talk.
00:39:18Anything to improve the running of the football club.
00:39:21You know, I'm not something that, you know, I think the narrative is that I want to do everything.
00:39:28I think that is completely against.
00:39:30I've got an idea and I like to use my experience to help and collaborate.
00:39:36So, you know, I, you know, you know, go back to signings four or five years ago.
00:39:43So, you know, of course, the players that we all decide and, you know, work on and source to make us better, ultimately, is my name that goes on it.
00:39:58But there's a lot of other people in decision making.
00:40:01Everything has to go through board approval.
00:40:02So, you know, there's a lot of discussions.
00:40:05And as I said, Stu, I'm here to help the football club.
00:40:08You know, I'm not, I'm not really, I'm not really, I don't feel as if I'm, you know, the age that I'm in, still the enthusiasm is as strong as it has been when I, when I first got the job at Alfred a few years ago.
00:40:22Which, which takes me back when the excitement I had then as a player, as a player manager, I'm not sure I can do that role at the moment.
00:40:30But I work with people, I want to work with good people and we're on the same page to help the football club.
00:40:40So if that's the case and the club goes down that road and we all collaborate together, there'll be times where, you know, we'll not always, everything meets eye to eye.
00:40:55But I'll give my opinion on it and hopefully help the club through the experience I've gained.
00:41:02And I think what I'm trying to say is that, you know, when you're a young manager, you know, you're looking for your next, you know, if I do well here, then maybe I'll pop myself there.
00:41:11And it's a little bit like snakes and ladders.
00:41:13Sometimes you climb and then you have a little fall and then you get back up and this, that and the other.
00:41:18And you're making your way in the game and you want to, you want to work at the top and you want to, you want to be as ambitious as you possibly can be, which is no different to what I want these players to be.
00:41:31It's a bit of a different, more different feeling to me now, really.
00:41:34You know, I just want to work at the football club and, you know, turn this around.
00:41:41And if I'm part of something going forward that succeeds, then brilliant and it'll fill me with an enormous amount of pride.
00:41:50We're still hurting a little bit personally as well about what happened sort of at Wembley, where the game sort of got away from us as well,
00:41:59reflecting on what we could have done a little bit better.
00:42:02But I think we all know the rules, you know, when you don't go up automatically, you have to go through the process and, you know, you can lose a game of football.
00:42:15So that stings a bit.
00:42:16So motivation on that, maybe a touch, but really just to win, win and have that feeling inside me personally
00:42:25and give, hopefully give that feeling to everybody connected to the football club, the players and the supporters,
00:42:32that they're part of a team that's back on track and winning games.
00:42:38So in terms of those sort of structural discussions, structural ideas, do they just have to be parked at the moment?
00:42:43Because obviously you've got a game...
00:42:44No, I think they're ongoing, but, you know, they'll be ongoing at senior management level.
00:42:50And when the time's right and I'm involved in those discussions, you know,
00:42:57then I'm sure out of respect that the ownership will consult me and ask for my opinion on it.
00:43:03But, you know, moving forward, it's nothing that I'm scared of and afraid to collaborate with good people to make us better.
00:43:15That's pretty much as simplistic as I can put it, Stu.
00:43:20Do you think then, in terms of managing upwards, maybe not so much downwards, I don't know,
00:43:24that you've talked about how you've changed it, you've maybe mellowed a little from the first time you were here, perhaps,
00:43:30in terms of your attitude to all those things?
00:43:33Yeah, well, I'm still spiky.
00:43:36I still have that reputation, I think, you know, I think maybe a third of people maybe quite like my approach,
00:43:45a third maybe dislike my approach, and maybe there's a third in the middle there that are really undecided.
00:43:52But I'm not here to win a popularity contest, I'm here to win games for the football club.
00:43:57As long as the people that I represent respect the job I do, you know, generally,
00:44:02and I have their support, which I believe I have, then that's good enough for me.
00:44:09You know, I'm a Sheffield United fan and I don't have to pander or appease the football world.
00:44:17I like to think that I've got a lot of respect in the game for what we've achieved.
00:44:21I believe the club has a lot of respect in the game for how we run our business,
00:44:27and it's an historic club, it's a proud old club that is in a bit of pain at the moment.
00:44:34So, yeah, I think you do, Stu, and managing up is, you know, you always have to manage up,
00:44:42manage sideways, manage below, or whatever it is.
00:44:46There's a load of things that are connected to being a leader and being a manager.
00:44:50But, you know, sometimes, you know, people fall out and have difference of opinions.
00:44:55And I think, like I talk to the players about and always say, you'll get an honesty about me.
00:45:02I think if you ask any player that has played for me, they'll recognise that and realise that.
00:45:08You know, Dean Henderson, absolutely love him to bits.
00:45:12One of my favourite all-time players I've ever managed from a character point of view and an ability point of view
00:45:21and just a general great human being and a fabulous footballer.
00:45:27I had a pop at him when he let one through his legs against Liverpool and got absolutely camed by everybody.
00:45:34So, you know, that's just my honest approach to it.
00:45:37There's times where you have to tweak it a little bit and maybe not say as much as you wanted to say,
00:45:41but for the majority of times, I think people respect honesty.
00:45:44Players, I respected the honesty of a manager and I think people want to know where they are
00:45:51and what the core values and principles of you are as a human being.
00:45:57And that's how it is.
00:45:58I think it's, yeah, maybe a little bit of a mellowing out there too,
00:46:04but still you want the right things to be done at the club and go in the right direction.
00:46:09And when you reeled off the names of the new signings to Dan,
00:46:13a lot of them, they felt like they were the sort of profile of player that you sign anyway sort of thing.
00:46:20Is that your feeling that when you talk about it being a good window,
00:46:23that these are the kind of characters and profiles of players that you would have wanted to bring in?
00:46:28Maybe not the individuals, but the style of player that you'd have brought in if you'd have been in charge.
00:46:33I think I've gone on record.
00:46:35I think the club have gone record in terms of the, you know, the decision to part was not a misunderstanding
00:46:42or a falling out on terms of the way the club were going.
00:46:45You know, I knew that was to collaborate with that.
00:46:49So this wasn't going to be an ultimate, we're going to sign these sort of 21, 22, 19, 21, 22 players
00:46:56because the owners know that, you know, that you can't survive in the division.
00:47:02We were the third youngest team in the division last season.
00:47:07You know, there wasn't any young players that were playing for Burnley or Middlesbrough or Coventry really
00:47:12or Leeds United, you know.
00:47:15We were putting young players in left, right and centre, you know, restoring values to the players
00:47:21that we already had in terms of Hamer and Nell and Vinny and the likes of that.
00:47:26Signing good young players, Cooper and Burroughs.
00:47:29Good free transfers in terms of Callum O'Air and putting value onto our young players.
00:47:36So to restore value is a big thing.
00:47:39So there was never any falling out.
00:47:41It was the decision that the club made that they wanted to go in a different direction.
00:47:45But there had always been, in my opinion, the necessity of signing some of the players that the club have signed.
00:47:54And I've got to say, I think the club have been incredibly ambitious and put their hand in their pocket in terms of what they've done.
00:48:01Would I have signed Tanganga?
00:48:03100%.
00:48:04If Robbo had gone, would I have signed Ben Mee?
00:48:07100%.
00:48:07You know, I knew the club tried to sign Cheo, like, from before he went to Luton.
00:48:16He was living in Callum Island.
00:48:19The club tried to do it, but they missed out on it.
00:48:21You know, I see his career and his profile and he's a good Sheffield United player.
00:48:27Like Sir Chong we all know about and other players, Mark McGinnis, we all know about.
00:48:32You know, he's played well.
00:48:33He played over the road and obviously did very, very well for the team down the road.
00:48:37So he's a good player.
00:48:39He's an experienced championship player.
00:48:40So, you know, he's putting them all together.
00:48:43So, yeah, 100% I would have.
00:48:45And I would have, you know, Nils, I would have signed Nils.
00:48:48You know, the boy from Sweden, he was in the system.
00:48:52They're good signings.
00:48:53They're young signings that we can develop.
00:48:55But developing with our academy players, developing from players that we've signed,
00:49:01developing like young Alex Matos, obviously great CV from Chelsea.
00:49:06You know, he'd have been on the radar as well.
00:49:08So, you know, the group that's been put together is a talented group.
00:49:15Now the key is for them to show it and me to try and bring that out of them.
00:49:21And 100% I believe we can do.
00:49:25And I guess one thing that has changed is, well, obviously the whole centre-back department has changed.
00:49:31I guess the balance of the squad is probably slightly different.
00:49:35Does that come into your thinking in terms of formations or that sort of thing?
00:49:40Or do you see them all fitting in?
00:49:40No, not really.
00:49:42No, not really.
00:49:43What have you got?
00:49:44You've got four centre-halves.
00:49:47You've got your two left-footers in there.
00:49:50You've got competition at full-back, Ben Godfrey and Femi.
00:49:53Competition at left-back.
00:49:55You've got midfield players.
00:49:56We need Tom Davis back.
00:49:58You know, we've got young midfield players there.
00:50:00And then obviously Blaster coming back into it.
00:50:02So, I think, you know, I'm seeing what I would say 95% of Sheffield United fans are seeing.
00:50:08You look at the midfield and maybe you go, you know, some young talent in there.
00:50:13But, you know, maybe it's a time for them young talent to flourish like they did last season.
00:50:16Would I have stuck Peck together with our Blaster in the championship?
00:50:19In the position that we were in at the top of the division?
00:50:22Yeah, because I believe in both of them.
00:50:25You know, but Matterson, Samarian, we need Tom Davis back.
00:50:28You know, he's pivotal.
00:50:29He does give us that little bit of experience as well.
00:50:33You know, we've got Cheo off the right.
00:50:35We've got Brooksy off the right.
00:50:36We've got Chongi who can play there.
00:50:38Chongi who can play at 10.
00:50:39Danny Ings, who we've not even mentioned.
00:50:41He's a smart signing.
00:50:43We've got Tom and Ty as two stretch nines.
00:50:47We've got Louis Barry and Gus off the left.
00:50:50So I'm possibly, you know, telling Nathan what formation I've already played if he's watching this.
00:50:56But I don't think it's going to be a massive surprise to him of the formation that we played.
00:51:01But I think what we've done as well, we can go.
00:51:04I'm not setting stone in terms of formations.
00:51:07I keep saying that we've coached 4-3-3, coached, you know, 4-2-3-1, played three centre-halves at times.
00:51:14You have to be fluid and flexible, in my opinion.
00:51:18Some aren't. I think some modern-day coaches aren't.
00:51:22I'm not sure that's the right way to go about it.
00:51:24But I think you've got to be flexible.
00:51:27I read an article from Carlo Ancelotti and he's talking about,
00:51:31well, I can't unless I know what players I've got and what my opposition is.
00:51:36And, you know, I have half my team out through injury.
00:51:39And then I have to be flexible in terms of the approach.
00:51:41I think you've always got to have something that is your starting sort of formation.
00:51:46But at times it changes and you get on a roll and get a bit of momentum and that works for you.
00:51:53So, you know, flexibility and being flexible with our ideas is key to that.
00:51:59And just finally from me, I mean, you were unfortunate last season in that there were two exceptional championship teams.
00:52:05This season, the three that have come down for quite obvious reasons have not found it easygoing yet.
00:52:12Do you think it will be a more open championship this season?
00:52:14Yeah, I do, yeah.
00:52:14I don't think two teams get 100 points.
00:52:18I'll be very surprised.
00:52:20I think that, you know, you're looking at it and you go,
00:52:22there's some real talented teams in the division.
00:52:26You know, Ipswich and Southampton are right up there.
00:52:30There's some formidable championship sides that are knocking on the door in terms of Middlesbrough and Coventry
00:52:36and West Brom and Norwich.
00:52:40You've got, you know, a lot of, you know, you know how difficult the division is.
00:52:43There are teams that might come through the pack and surprise people.
00:52:47Stoke have had an outstanding start under Mark Robbins
00:52:50and Paul Eckenbottom's had a good start at Preston, Alex at Millwall.
00:52:57You know, Leicester, obviously.
00:52:58Anybody heard about the points deduction?
00:53:00I don't know what's happening there, but an incredibly talented group.
00:53:04So, yeah, and we're amongst it.
00:53:08And that's got to be our aim to get amongst those sort of top sides
00:53:11and see where it goes.
00:53:13But I don't think that, I don't think there'll be three teams that pull away like the three teams did.
00:53:19I certainly don't think that teams, two teams will get under a point.
00:53:23I might be wrong and let's wait and see, but first and foremost,
00:53:26let's concentrate on us, you know, being the best version of us on Saturday
00:53:32and getting our first three points of the season.
00:53:37Cheers, Stu.
00:53:38Thank you, mate.
00:53:39Welcome back, Chris.
00:53:40Good to see you.
00:53:41Cheers.
00:53:41On Friday, I was at Portman Road actually watching it.
00:53:44What did you make of, first of all, the game as it was unfolding?
00:53:49And obviously, you know, we talked about Gus being the championship player of the season,
00:53:52him being dropped from the team.
00:53:55Listen, they're not my decisions.
00:53:57I don't think it's right for me to comment on sort of, you know,
00:54:04the way the team went about it or whatever.
00:54:07But I think as a manager, as a fan, I'm obviously being disappointed in terms of getting beat 5-0 away from home.
00:54:17But, you know, Gus and Ty, for me, are top players.
00:54:22So, you know, as I said, they need to take that responsibility.
00:54:27I've spoke to both of them, as I'd said to the guys previously, getting back to where they were.
00:54:32Ty came in and had a fabulous season last season.
00:54:36We worked hard to get his signature.
00:54:38We worked hard to get the minutes under his belt.
00:54:41And he flourished top scorer on a free transfer and restored value in Gus to where he should be
00:54:51in terms of his price and, most importantly, the performances that he made.
00:55:00So, listen, I wasn't the manager.
00:55:02I didn't pick the team.
00:55:03I didn't pick the formation.
00:55:04I didn't pick the processes or whatever.
00:55:08So, it's nothing to do with me.
00:55:10So, now we've talked about it, we have to park that bit and move forward.
00:55:16But certainly, you know, for us to be successful, we need Tyrese Campbell performing at the top of his ability
00:55:23and Gus, you know, getting back to the form that, as we keep saying, championship player of the season.
00:55:32I understand you got the call on Friday, was it?
00:55:33You got a phone call on Friday asking if you'd kind of come back.
00:55:36And I was just wondering, you know, what was your reaction and, you know, what did the owners say to you?
00:55:41Yeah, sort of discussions, discussions with all the owners.
00:55:45Most importantly, as I said, thank the part that Steve, Steve Betti's played in that in terms, you know,
00:55:50it's not always the easiest thing to put together when people are all over the world at different time zones as well.
00:56:00So, yeah, Steve sort of collaborated all that and delighted to get the call off Steve, the two co-owners in Steve, Steve Rosen and Helmy.
00:56:17And, you know, calls and messages off the back of that by the other co-owners.
00:56:29And as I said, I don't, you know, for me, I don't think there should be any criticism and their approach and attitude.
00:56:36I think it's quite refreshing.
00:56:38I think the easy, easy option would be to go and open it up or whatever, what they ever wanted to do.
00:56:44But they thought it was the right thing to do.
00:56:48And I appreciate their decision.
00:56:52Prince Abdullah thought it was the right thing to do to bring me back to the football club.
00:56:56And I like to think that we sort of turned it around from a losing team to a team that won, you know, equal most games in the division
00:57:06and finished with the points that we did and restored the value into the players.
00:57:12So, you know, I want to repay them as well for the belief and given the opportunity to come back.
00:57:22You mentioned earlier there's a real vibe around the city at the moment
00:57:25and there's going to be a great atmosphere on Saturday.
00:57:28Have you been actually stopped by a lot of fans in the streets?
00:57:30Have you had lots of conversations?
00:57:31I get stopped every 10 minutes, wherever I go.
00:57:35So, yeah, and usually, yeah.
00:57:38And it's quite humbling in terms of, you know, will they ask you back?
00:57:43I've said, well, listen, I'm, you know, I'm open, of course.
00:57:47I'm open.
00:57:47I've never turned this down, you know, but there has to be that process first and foremost.
00:57:54So, you know, we're not in a great position and the supporters have not enjoyed the start of the season.
00:58:01But hopefully we can change that starting Saturday.
00:58:06Yeah, I mean, you've obviously been in the game a long time.
00:58:07You know how it works.
00:58:09So, I'm assuming you have a lot of sympathy for Ruben.
00:58:11Well, it's the game.
00:58:14So, we've all been in that situation.
00:58:16I think, you know, what happened may be in the summer.
00:58:20There was a certain level of that towards me.
00:58:23But, you know, you have to take it, you know, you understand the rules.
00:58:26You understand the nature of the game and everybody does.
00:58:29I think the manager said that in terms of a couple of his sort of late interviews, sort of the back end of his time here.
00:58:38We all know how the game is and the risks if you don't win games of football.
00:58:44So, you know, you get out of that by winning games of football.
00:58:49And that's what we're going to try and do.
00:58:51I just want to ask you finally about the AI.
00:58:52A lot of people are talking about this.
00:58:54How does it actually work?
00:58:55Can you sort of articulate it?
00:58:56Yeah, I mean, listen, it's a collaboration between an AI company with one of the investors on the board.
00:59:09And, you know, let's be right about it.
00:59:12There's not a lot of AI needed when Danny Ings is signing and Ben May.
00:59:17But this is, you know, it's not really, you know, universal.
00:59:21It's not 100% in terms of signing footballers.
00:59:25We want to check the numbers.
00:59:27You know, physically we want to check the numbers.
00:59:28You know, no good signing Danny Ings or Ben May if they're shot and they can't move.
00:59:32And we're giving them two or three year deals that they're not going to play.
00:59:36And not be available for selection.
00:59:41So there's that part of it on that.
00:59:43Smart signings like we've done in the past.
00:59:46And signings for the future that the club are making.
00:59:50So I mean, it's a combination of a lot of things pulling together and a collaboration of a lot of people's thoughts,
00:59:57including the system and the detail that goes into identifying those players.
01:00:06Cheers.
01:00:07Chris Davis-Smith from Hits Radio in South Yorkshire.
01:00:11Welcome back.
01:00:12Where were you when you first got the call then from Stephen Bettis and were you surprised to get it?
01:00:21I don't know exactly where I was.
01:00:24Was I surprised to get it?
01:00:25Listen, I was delighted to get it.
01:00:27I think that's the biggest thing.
01:00:29You never know.
01:00:30You know, there's a lot of talk.
01:00:32A lot of talk in the town about would they, you know, is it maybe the right thing to do?
01:00:37Or, you know, would that open up an opportunity?
01:00:42But delighted to get it first and foremost and start that conversation with the owners.
01:00:50With regards to the terms of your contract, we know it's until the summer of 2027.
01:00:55Are the terms similar to your old contract or have they adjusted at all?
01:00:58Well, I think that's, you know, confidential between.
01:01:02I'm not going to tell you, you know, what's happening from a financial point of view.
01:01:06But, you know, certainly from my point of view, the easiest option would be not to come back and just to crack on.
01:01:14Left on good terms.
01:01:16Disappointing, obviously.
01:01:18Incredibly disappointing for all Sheffield United fans in terms of what happened in late May.
01:01:24But, you know, that's part of it.
01:01:27So, you know, I backed myself.
01:01:30You know, I was on a one-year deal last season up till Christmas.
01:01:35So, you know, contracts are contracts.
01:01:38You know, when people talk about contracts and they go, he signed a five-year or ten-year deal,
01:01:42it doesn't mean that they get ten times one-year annual salary for ten years, if that makes sense.
01:01:51There's always a compromise in there.
01:01:53There's always a termination agreement.
01:01:56So, you know, from a financial point of view, it's nothing really to do with it.
01:02:02It was that opportunity.
01:02:04I backed myself.
01:02:05And, you know, I like to think, you know, now if the work gets recognised, then we'll see where it is and what happens going forward.
01:02:15But, you know, as Dan said, there's always a short, medium and long-term view on it.
01:02:21And short and medium term is to get to Christmas with belief renewed, optimism renewed.
01:02:29And we've picked some points up that we can kick on in the second part of the season.
01:02:34How does it feel for you watching Sheffield United from afar?
01:02:38Well, yeah, of course.
01:02:39It's painful that I've not been involved, of course.
01:02:42It stings, which I've talked about.
01:02:45And it hurts a little bit more when they're not getting the results that we all know that they can get.
01:02:53Just first and foremost, that's us and what we've been brought up on.
01:02:57And we want our team to be successful.
01:03:01Were you close at all at any point during the summer to potentially joining any other club?
01:03:06Yeah, I had a couple of conversations with a couple of clubs and got pretty close to a couple.
01:03:10So, because I want to work, you know, I don't think I'm, well, I know I'm not done yet.
01:03:17There's a huge amount of determination and enthusiasm and desire to go again and work in an industry that I've worked in since I was 16.
01:03:28So, I love the industry, I love the buzz about it, I love the buzz of, you know, of the competition, of the preparation, of working daily with players, trying to improve them, representing a club that I love.
01:03:44So, you know, I want to work and I give everything for every club that I've worked for.
01:03:51Obviously, this is a little bit special to me with the background, the unique background that I've got.
01:03:57But always, you know, given, you know, to get this job, I've had to do some things right in my previous clubs.
01:04:06And I had to do some things right for the owners now to give me that opportunity to come back.
01:04:15And considering what happened in the summer, did anybody close to you ever advise you when this opportunity came back up, potentially not to take it?
01:04:24Or was everybody unanimous in saying, go for it again?
01:04:27No, everybody's got their opinion and there'll be certain people that would have said that.
01:04:32But I'm a big boy, you know, I chat closely with my wife and we're tight.
01:04:40And we make family decisions as well.
01:04:42So, but she knows the Leviah for this football club and how much it means to me.
01:04:48So, I don't think there was ever going to be, you know, I'm a big boy and I'll make that decision.
01:04:53But yeah, of course, you seek advice from people in the game, people that you really respect, people close to you, you know, family and friends.
01:05:03And, you know, for me, where it's at now, you know, the amount of calls I've taken, I've not really taken one that says what you're doing, what you're doing and what you're putting at stake.
01:05:15You know, I think there's always a risk in everything.
01:05:18If you don't risk in life, then, you know, I think you can just float along and be safe for the rest of your life.
01:05:24But to risk is a big thing.
01:05:28And, you know, I think that that's what that's what I do.
01:05:32And it's held me in good, good, in a good place for the majority of the career.
01:05:40You know, I've taken jobs that other people have said, what are you doing?
01:05:43Don't take that.
01:05:44You know, I took the Watford job for 10 games, you know, and I still get sort of, you know, I still get criticism.
01:05:51I took it for 10 games and I wanted to work and I felt I could get a tune out of a group of players.
01:05:59I possibly should have asked Roy Hodgson and Slavin Bilic and Rob Edwards and some of the managers that have managed before me really recently for their advice.
01:06:13But you always think that you can make a difference.
01:06:17But I took that risk and I could have easily sat off of it and not taken it and maybe not received the negative criticism that I got about my time there.
01:06:30But the other part of it is that we could have won two or three more games, got in the playoff and finished at Wembley and end up in the Premier League.
01:06:35I think that's the risk that I took and I took it and I've got no regrets and I've certainly got no regrets about coming back and helping and working for the football club.
01:06:50And just lastly, Chris, from me, what would be your message to any Sheffield United fan planning to step foot into Bramwell Lane?
01:06:57No, listen, I think there'll be an incredible atmosphere there on Saturday.
01:07:01Hopefully the appointment has lifted the spirits of the majority of people, recognise what the team might look like on Saturday.
01:07:10Look forward to enjoying and watching the team perform in the way that they should do.
01:07:15And like I said to you, it's not about me, it's about us lifting those players because they're a good group individually, they're good characters.
01:07:26You know, there's no players in, I'm not looking in, you know, sometimes you go into a football club and you go,
01:07:32dear me, when you walk through the door and you go, I've got my work cut out because he wants to do this, he wants to do that.
01:07:39He doesn't really want to be here. He wants to be here. He's a young kid. He's an old lad.
01:07:44They've all got their issues. And sometimes you have to deal with that and that takes time to sort that out.
01:07:51Here, everybody's on the same page from the get-go, 100%.
01:07:55The players that were here last year, of course, know what they're coming into in terms of what to expect from myself and the coaching staff.
01:08:06And I think the older ones know through word of mouth what we're like to work with and trying to get a tune out of them.
01:08:16And that's the biggest thing. The good boys.
01:08:19I think sometimes, you know, when you see supporters clap players as well, I think they realise, you know,
01:08:24it's a decent group of players and they just need help and support.
01:08:30And they'll definitely get that off me. And I'm absolutely certain that when they walk out of the tunnel at Brammer Lane at eight minutes to three on Saturday afternoon,
01:08:42that'll be an incredibly positive environment to play football.
01:08:47Let's take the pressure off of them. Let's make the shirt light and let's all reconnect and go again and try and win a game of football.
01:08:58Cheers. Thanks.
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