Blades’ futures are new boss’s call, says Heck
Sheffield United interim manager Paul Heckingbottom insists the decisions about new contracts for players will be left to the new boss.
Kean Bryan, Phil Jagielka, John Lundstram, Simon Moore and Jack Rodwell all see their current deals expire at the end of the season and, with the exception of Lundstram, their futures remain uncertain.
Midfielder Lundstram looks set to leave Bramall Lane after rejecting several new offers and deliberately letting his contract run down.
Under-23 coach Heckingbottom, whose side face Tottenham today, was placed in charge until the end of the season following Chris Wilder’s departure in March.
The Blades hierarchy have been looking for a new manager since and chief executive Stephen Bettis this week confirmed Heckingbottom was on a five-man shortlist for the permanent job.
The 43-year-old has his own thoughts on which players should be retained and will offer his input to the new manager, but ultimately Heckingbottom knows such decisions will be for the incoming boss – whoever that is.
“We were having those conversations anyway,” said Heckingbottom.
“I think that only changes when the manager comes in, because that’s when you have to drive it.
“Whether it’s convincing people to stay, telling people they’re not needed, trying to identify and capture new signings, nothing has changed.
“But, certainly, once that man comes through the door and he’s here and then tasked with driving these things forward, we will have as much information as possible and as much help there ready to go.
“There will be lots of work going off between people on that shortlist, they will probably all be doing their own homework. So yeah, it has to be the manager or the manager who comes in that has the greatest input in regards to that.”
Tottenham boss Ryan Mason says his side have got “five cup finals” left in their pursuit of Champions League football next season.
Spurs are outsiders to gatecrash the top four and qualify for the premier European competition next season after enduring a wretched second half of the campaign.
“We’ve got five cup finals. This weekend is a massive game,” he said. “It’s important we have the right mentality because it’s not easy to win games.
“Tottenham want to be competing on the biggest stages, we want to have something in place that allows us to do that.”