Chris Wilder answers Tom Cannon question after Sheffield United criticism amid Sunderland transfer revelation
Chris Wilder answers Tom Cannon question after Sheffield United criticism amid Sunderland transfer revelation
Chris Wilder remains convinced that Tom Cannon can still prove a successful signing for Sheffield United, despite accepting that the striker “has made it difficult for himself” at Bramall Lane. The Republic of Ireland international joined the Blades in January from Leicester City.
The former Everton man was the first statement signing of the Blades owners’ AI model after being recalled from a loan spell at Stoke City and sold to Bramall Lane for a big fee, reported at the time to be worth as much as £10m.
But a return of one goal in 28 appearances in all competitions has not represented value for money for the Blades and Cannon was heavily criticised by sections of the United fanbase in midweek after a largely anonymous display in victory at Blackburn Rovers.
After watching his replacement Tyrese Campbell come off the bench to secure victory with United’s third goal, Cannon is expected to return to the substitutes for tomorrow’s trip to his former loan club Preston North End as United look to cap a three-game week with a third victory.
And speaking ahead of the trip to Deepdale, which sees the Blades come up against their former manager Paul Heckingbottom, No.2 Stuart McCall and striker Daniel Jebbison, Wilder said of Cannon: “Well, it's been difficult for him because he came in in January.
Chris Wilder answers Tom Cannon question after Sheffield United criticism amid Sunderland transfer revelation
“It was a club signing and we all pushed it through. Three quarters of the Championship were after him. Sunderland wanted him, we wanted him. The owners, in conjunction with the recruitment staff and myself, saw him as an asset for the football club.
“He's obviously not at the heights that we'd wanted him to hit but he's working hard away from it. It was difficult for him when he first came into the team, when he got an injury pretty early. And then Tyrese took over really and we had some good options at the top of the pitch. So he struggled to force his way into the group. He's looking to find his form and we all want that to happen, him more than anybody else.
“Of course, he has to take the chances offered to him, whether that’s coming off the bench or starting. We need that competition at the top of the pitch, so he's just got to keep working away and keep believing. We believe in him.
“We're working with him on the training ground, working on him in the analysis room to improve his game. It's arguably the most difficult position on the football pitch. Tyrese has been outstanding for us last season and now he's getting back to good form.
“It's a big boys game as well. I'm going to pick the players that I think needed to be picked in the right time and the right moment. I thought that was the right time to give Tom an outing [at Blackburn]. He's just got to keep working away and when he gets an opportunity, take it and impress from there.”
Cannon’s only competitive goal for the Blades came away at Burnley towards the back end of last term and hopes that a good run in pre-season this summer would be taken into the new campaign have not materialised.
More chances are set to materialise this season, after the summer departures of Rhian Brewster and Kieffer Moore left Cannon and Campbell as the Blades’ only senior strikers before the addition of veteran Danny Ings. But Cannon turns 23 in December and with now more than 100 senior appearances under his belt, is approaching the part of his career where he would be expected to kick on.
“He's still a young player and everybody wants an instant,” Wilder added. “I get it, we're past that instant impact thing. He's made it difficult for himself, he understands that. There's some pressure on him but I'm not going to decide a player's future off the back of 20 or 25 games so far.
“There's always an opportunity but he has to take those opportunities and he understands that. He wants to be a success. He came here for a reason, to try and push us towards the Premier League, which he did. With his contributions, Tyrese's involvement, Kieffer's involvement, it was a difficult task to get into the team. Especially when you're off the back of an injury.
“Rhian was in and around it as well and Callum as well. I think he understands the pressure on him. It only takes a run of games or a run of form to get himself back to where the majority, if not all, of the Championship were after him.
“That's not a cop-out for me. Like I said, Sunderland wanted him off a loan with an obligation to go up. He had some good managers and some big teams that were after his signature
“We have to keep faith with him and keep working away with him. He understands the criticism coming his way. He accepts it, and we all understand that.”