Anel Ahmedhodžić: Sheffield United new boy backs up strong words with promising Blades debut
Whether it was the 200 or so hardy fans who had travelled from England or the many more watching or following back home, the eyes of many Sheffield United supporters were on one man when their side took on Casa Pia in their first friendly of the new season on Friday evening.
Anel Ahmedhodžić, the big man with the relatively big price tag and big expectations. He certainly talked a good game, when he sat down to meet the members of the media who travelled with the team to Portugal earlier this week, describing United as a Premier League team who should expect big things this coming season.
But, as United have discovered in the past, words and soundbites do not deliver success. So it was encouraging to see the 23-year-old back up his statements with some impressive glimpses of his prowess and potential against the Portuguese top flight new boys.
Granted, nothing is settled on the back of 45 minutes in an opening friendly. But there were certainly flashes, including an early move when he instinctively continued his run forward after finding a teammate with a pass, that suggest Ahmedhodžić will fit in very nicely indeed on the right of United's back three.
He has some way to go to displace Chris Basham, of course, a man whose understanding and excellence in that role led to it effectively being named after him. But not even a man as fit as Chris Basham can fulfil the Chris Basham role and as he approaches his 34th birthday later this month, Ahmedhodžić’s arrival in South Yorkshire is as much about the next four, five or six seasons as it is about the upcoming one.
In that impressive opening interview, he promised three things - he was good on the ball, fast and loved a slide tackle. Only two of the three were required against Casa, before he was replaced as planned at half-time as one of nine changes to give all players minutes, but it surely won't be long until the Bosnian tenacity Unitedites loved so much during Mo Besic's time at Bramall Lane is seen again.
