WILD AT HEART
Blades boss Chris staying put
CHRIS WILDER isn’t getting dazzled by links to bigger jobs – because he’s already living the dream at Sheffield United.
The Blades boss has been widely praised for his achievements at Bramall Lane and many believe he should get a chance at an established club like Everton who have launched a search for a new manager after sacking Marco Silva.
But Wilder, already planning to import January reinforcements, is taking the plaudits in his stride. And he’s in no hurry to jump ship.
He said: “Look, I know how football is – you do well for a while and you get mentions. But I’m ambitious to take this club forward still.
“The turnaround from where we were a few seasons ago to where we are now has been terrific but there’s a lot more to do. People shouldn’t forget that.
“It’s a dangerous game if you think you’ve cracked it. We certainly haven’t and if you stand still there’s only one thing that will happen.
“I’ve had discussions with the owner about spending going forward. It’s my job to get the most out of what we buy and I always try to do that.
“It’s important to me that I make decisions on contracts – who stays, who goes, who we bring in and what type of players.
“I’ve always been very hands on. It’s really important because we’ve got to coach and motivate them so I will always want that power to pick the players within reason.
Focus
“We’ve done OK so far but we need to strengthen in January and we need to keep moving forward.
“We’re already looking at the end of the season and the summer transfer window with potential targets. You have to at this level.
“We’re not big hitters financially and we haven’t got an open chequebook. All the players have worked very hard to get where they are.
“We invested in some young players last summer and I’m sure they will go well for us in the future and be with us for a few years.
“We have a group of players who go into every game respecting the opposition but want to win and they are committed to do that.
Wilder’s stars aim to bounce back from their 2-0 home defeat by Newcastle when they play at Norwich today.
And no Blades fan should doubt that his focus is where it matters – despite the lure of bigger clubs and resources.
“I have put everything into every club I have ever been at – anyone will tell you that – it’s 24/7 with me and I won’t change,” says Wilder.
“This has always been my club and in every job you want to do as well. Of course, at United I am representing the club and city I was born in and lived the majority of my life.
“I have my family and friends around me so it doesn’t get a lot better. It’s gone great, touch wood, but it’s not all about me.
“A lot of people have put a lot of work in to get us to this point. This is a great footballing city. Football to us is huge and I’m delighted our fans are enjoying this period in our history.”