Chris Wilder outlines big Oli McBurnie regret after Sheffield United “trial” outlined ahead of Hull City reunion
Chris Wilder outlines big Oli McBurnie regret after Sheffield United “trial” outlined ahead of Hull City reunion
When Chris Wilder returned to Sheffield United last month after, as he puts it, an extended holiday away from Bramall Lane, what he would have given to see the big beaming smile of Oli McBurnie greeting him at Shirecliffe. This weekend he will instead come up against the Scottish international, in blistering form for Hull City.
The two, of course, worked together at Bramall Lane, Wilder prising McBurnie back to his native Yorkshire after paying Swansea City an initial £18m fee for his services shortly after the Blades were promoted to the Premier League.
McBurnie went on to finish joint top-scorer in the side that finished ninth in the Premier League and later helped the Blades back into the top flight and reach an FA Cup semi-final, before he departed as a free agent amid the well-publicised confusion of United’s ownership wrangle that summer.
He instead moved to Spain with Las Palmas but effectively regained control of his future via a relegation clause in his contract with the then-La Liga side and, as we revealed at the time, held conversations with United about a potential return to Bramall Lane in the summer.
United were in the market for another physical striker, with Kieffer Moore the subject of interest from Wrexham who subsequently signed him. But there was a feeling in McBurnie’s camp that then-United boss Ruben Selles was not keen on the idea and United’s offer, lower than all the other clubs in the hunt for the striker, reflected that.
Chris Wilder outlines big Oli McBurnie regret after Sheffield United “trial” outlined ahead of Hull City reunion
In the end he returned to Yorkshire but with Hull, forming a quartet of former Blades with John Egan, John Lundstram and Regan Slater under Sergej Jakirovic. And it proved to be a wise investment for the Tigers, with McBurnie already netting six goals and three assists in the Championship.
“He should have a red and white shirt on,” admitted Wilder in his pre-match press conference, “in my opinion, and he was available. There was always talk about Kieffer going and I think everyone recognises the horses-for-courses nature of it. Different ways of playing and different forwards I've always gone with.
“We've got link players. We've got Callum O’Hare, we've got Gus Hamer. We’ve got players that stretch the game in terms of Tyrese Campbell but always, for us, a number nine in the building will give us the different options.
“There was always a chance that Kiefer would go in the summer, especially when the deal was made and became available. Obviously I wasn’t here at the time but speaking to Steve [Bettis, United’s chief executive], Kieffer wanted to go and the new manager didn’t feel he was part of the plan, so it was a good bit of business by Steve.
“Kieffer got an extended deal and I think he got a couple more quid as well into his deal as well. I’m not being critical of him because he contributed to our 92 points last season, but I would have always been looking for a number nine and Oli was available.
“He's somebody that I keep in contact with quite regularly. I'm a fan, not just as a player, as a personality. I thought he made a great contribution to our ninth-place finish but there was always criticism of Oli by certain, real small sections of our support.
“But the contribution he made, getting the team back up, getting the team to a play-off semi-final, getting the team to an FA Cup semi-final ... contributions as a culture setter in the changing room, as a player, as a person. When people talk about the financial aspects, we paid £8million for Moose [Lys Mousset] and we paid £18 million for Oli McBurnie.
“We finished ninth in the Premier League and by the way, from 17th to ninth, there's a lot of solidarity payments there. So those boys at times pay for themselves in terms of what they contribute to getting to that position. I think Oli was a big part of that, scoring some crucial goals.
“I love him to bits as a lad, I love him to bits as a player and he should have a Sheff United number nine shirt on at this particular moment. I know Steve Bettis tried to get him in, Steve is close to him as well and I think he offered the chance to the manager to come in off his own back, to come in pre-season and show what he had. I think there was not enough enthusiasm for that to happen.
“He had Ipswich Town in for him, I know he had other options to go to and Hull City made him a deal that he wanted to take. I'm not being disrespectful to anyone, but the affinity and the affection he has for this football club is clear.
“For him to come in and want to do a pre-season, basically a trial, to show what he's about, I think showed his enthusiasm and his desire to come in. But that's gone and we've seen what he's doing now. So unfortunately he's not our player, he's Hull City's player.”