We’re in the Enda game
CHRIS WILDER has praised Enda Stevens for choosing the right route when he came to a crossroads during a critical period in his career.
And with Sheffield United now motoring towards European football next season, the Yorkshireman insists his rampaging left-back is an example to every player who finds the path to success blocked by obstacles along the way.
The Blades can move to within two points of Chelsea in the fourth Champions League place if they win at home to Bournemouth today.
And Stevens, who was delivering pizzas part-time 10 years ago while making his way in the League of Ireland, could never have envisaged such a scenario while first working under Wilder when he went on a one-month loan at Northampton Town from Aston Villa in October 2014.
The Bramall Lane boss said: “You don’t have to bark at Enda for him to respond. I don’t think I’ve ever had to bark at Enda.
Some don’t grasp that moment, they don’t get it or they don’t want to get it.
“It goes over their heads or they don’t take it in. That’s fine but Enda took it in.”
Wilder made sure to bring Stevens to Bramall Lane after seeing the Dubliner thrive under Paul Cook at Portsmouth – securing promotion from League Two at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.
Stevens, 29, then repeated the promotion trick last season as Sheffield United secured their place back among the Premier League elite.
The former Villa defender already had seven top-flight appearances under his belt from his early days in Birmingham.
But this year he has been an ever-present, helping the Blades to keep nine clean sheets – a total which is bettered only by Liverpool’s 11.
Wilder added: “There were no doubts about Enda’s ability to step up from the Championship.
“You challenge him and he’ll rise to it. He will face it up and enjoy it. He’s out there after training most days doing mor work, getting better and improving. Yo can trust him – that’s the professiona he is.”
Cook, his former Pompey boss, agrees. “You will never hear a person say a ba word about Enda,” said the Liverpudlian who is now manager of Championshi outfit Wigan.
“Enda is such a lovely lad and, to b honest, being such a lovely lad wa probably one of the things that wa stopping him from going on in football.
“He needed to develop a ruthles nature, a ruthless style, an aggressive style
“That’s not kicking people or doin stupid things on the pitch – it’s aggressio in his play.
“That’s getting forward quicker, crossin the ball with more anger in the cross, littl bits of devilment in his game.
“They call it an edge in football an Enda was playing without an edge.”
Now Stevens is as sharp a Blade a they come.