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Stop knocking the boss, says Speed
GARY Speed, Sheffield United's coach, has launched an impassioned defence of under-fire manager Kevin Blackwell.
The former Everton and Newcastle midfielder believes the criticism he has received from the club's supporters has been "undeserved".
A section of United's fans were calling for Blackwell's head in the wake of the team's 1-0 defeat to bottom-of-the-table Peterborough last week.
The mood from the terraces was not greatly-improved after Saturday's 1-1 draw against Neil Warnock's Queens Park Rangers side at Bramall Lane.
With only 10 games remaining, the pressure is mounting on Blackwell to find a winning formula to resurrect the club's faltering play-off challenge.
But Speed, training vigorously for the London Marathon next month, is backing Blackwell to come through the adversity.
Speed, an ex-Welsh international, said: "It is part and parcel of playing for a big club.
"I think some of the stick he has received has been undeserved because of the trouble we have had this season in terms of personnel and players coming in and out.
"I am learning a lot from him personally. It is a good experience for me to be in with the gaffer.
"He is coping with it (the pressure) really well. He has been through this before at Leeds and Luton so he can handle this better than most."
The loan market has aided Blackwell's depleted resources, having had his back four ripped apart due to a catalogue of injuries.
Arsenal loanee Kyle Bartley became the latest player to join the club's lengthy treatment room after being diagnosed with food poisoning prior to the QPR clash.
The teenager remains a major doubt for tonight's fixture against play-off rivals Blackpool while Toni Kallio is likely to be out for six weeks following the calf injury he sustained at Crystal Palace earlier this month.
The Finn has returned to his club Fulham and it is conceivable that he has played his last match for United. "Toni has gone back to Fulham for an assessment," said Speed. "He won't be playing for the foreseeable future."
United's crippling injury list includes senior players Jamie Ward, Lee Williamson, Ched Evans, Ryan France, Gary Naysmith and Derek Geary.
Another absentee is captain Chris Morgan, who is serving a two-match ban after collecting his 10th booking of the campaign versus QPR.
Speed said: "We always miss Morgs when he is not playing but it is no good sulking about it.
We have to just get on with it; this gives someone else an opportunity.
"It is a challenge but we have just got to roll our sleeves up and get on with it."
A last-minute decision is set to be made on the fitness of Bartley, as Blackwell contemplates re-shaping his back four for the umpteenth time this season.
Speed said United are closely monitoring Bartley's recovery from illness before deciding on the best way to juggle the team around.
"I have never known anything like this situation before as a player or a coach where there have been so many changes in the team," he said. "I think the majority of fans understand the difficulties that we have had and the changes through the season that we have had to make.
"It is never easy and when you get new players coming in, it does take time for them to bed in.
"There are a lot of them who haven't played much football for Sheffield United. It would be nice to bring one player in and let him feel his way into the team but we can't do that at the moment, as we have had to bring in three of four players into the team.
"It is difficult for the cohesion of the team but the boys are giving a 100 per cent and the fans do recognise the difficulties that we have had with injuries."
Bartley or Jonathan Fortune are in contention to deputise for Morgan at centre-half while Andy Taylor and Jordan Stewart are vying for the left-back spot.
Blackwell is scouring the loan market for fresh blood to boost his threadbare squad.
The United chief is also thought to be lining up possible replacements for Mark Bunn should the goalkeeper be recalled by Blackburn from his loan spell following Saturday's injury to Ewood Park No 1 Paul Robinson.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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