WILDER: ALL OF US MUST SHARE PAIN
CHRIS WILDER insists everyone at Sheffield United must “suffer” if they are relegated today.
United will return to the
Championship if they lose at Newcastle and Wilder says they must all share the pain after enjoying last season’s promotion run.
Wilder (circle), who has served the Blades as a fan and player before his second stint as manager, said: “There have been good times.
“We’ve all enjoyed them and we were all willing to take the credit. But you have to own and suffer, and take responsibility, for the times when there’s a little bit of pain.
“Reflection is massive for me. Reflection in terms of a training session, in terms of a game, a part of a season or a whole season. Things I can control or get my fingerprints over.
“There are certain things we’ve not got right as a football club this season. In the club there’s humility, there are a lot of humble people. We know we’ve had a poor season.
“We’ve had to take that narrative and the words and the criticism. It doesn’t last forever and we’ll learn.
“We’re always learning and I’m learning at the ripe old age I am and with 1,000 games under my belt.”
The Blades have conceded 92 goals (including eight against Newcastle, below) – a record in the 38-game Premier League – and have won just three Premier League games.
They will begin life back in the Championship on minus two points after they were penalised by the EFL, but Wilder is optimistic about the future.
He says he has known worse times at Bramall Lane. They were in League One when he became manager for the first time in 2016.
“We have a load of optimism about the future, about the future of the football club,” he said. “It’s a poor season, but it’s not a poor football club.
“We’ve been in far worse positions than this as a football club, certainly over my time as a supporter, a player and as a manager. We will come again if the inevitable happens at the weekend.”
Wilder, who revealed Oli Mcburnie will miss the rest of the season with a groin injury, will stick with Wes Foderingham in goal, even though the goalkeeper is set to leave on a free this summer.
“We’ve not really discussed that with Wes,” Wilder said. “There was a contract negotiation situation before between him and the club. That will possibly be ongoing. All he has to do is what he did on Wednesday and make big saves.”