How Brendan Rodgers is helping Sheffield United try and achieve their Super League dream

Now Brendan Rodgers, whose latest project Leicester City are seemingly destined for a Champions League return, is helping Sheffield United Women maintain their push for a Super League place. Even though, Carla Ward admits, the Northern Irishman probably doesn’t realise the role he is about to play in her team’s bid to reach the highest level.

“I’ve been doing lots of ‘webinars’, they’re arranged by the LMA, and there’s one in particular that I’m really looking forward to,” she says, describing how the suspension of United’s season due to coronavirus has brought new learning opportunities. “It’s with Brendan and I’m fascinated to find out his views on the game and how he goes about things. I’m sure he’s going to provide some really interesting and worthwhile insights.”

Like their male counterparts at United, Ward’s side were flying high towards the top of the table and exceeding expectations when the season was mothballed two months ago because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Second in the FA Championship - six points behind leaders Aston Villa but, given the fixtures that remained, still in with a serious shout of snatching top spot - the former Leeds. Lincoln and Sheffield FC midfielder’s side hoped to deliver the club’s second promotion in the space of 12 months following the men’s march into the Premier League last term.

Although those ambitions have been put on hold for the foreseeable future - indeed, like Chris Wilder, she isn’t sure if the campaign will be restarted, decided on sporting merit or declared null and void - Ward has been using her time wisely; enrolling on a series of courses and lecture programmes despite already receiving the coveted UEFA A Licence earlier this year.

“They say all us coaches are thieves, we like pinching ideas and then tweaking them for ourselves,” she laughs. “That’s why it’s been so fascinating listening to these people speak via video link on the computer while we are all in lockdown.

“Mike Phelan did one the other day, about his time working with Sir Alex Ferguson and the things he used to do at Manchester United. We can’t play football at the moment so I’m taking advantage of the time to do things like this.”

Rodgers and Phelan, now back at Old Trafford following spells with Norwich, Hull City and Central Coast Mariners, are not the only brains Ward has been picking over the past two months. The structure of United’s footballing operations - where the men’s, women’s and academy sides work under the same Bramall Lane umbrella - means she regularly can regularly exchange ideas with colleagues closer to home too.

Wilder, whose team was seventh in the table when the shutdown was announced eight weeks ago, is an obvious influence. So too, Ward explains, are the men responsible for nurturing the next generation of talent placed at the 52-year-old’s disposal.

“Jack Lester at the academy is a great help, I love chatting with him,” she says. “That’s the great thing about how we’re set up, when we can get down there, because everyone can talk and meet with everyone else.

“I’m always nipping into Jack’s office to chat about stuff and the lads from the academy are always coming in and sitting in our office to talk about sessions and systems as well. It’s a great place to work and that’s why we’re all looking forward to getting back in there as soon as it’s safe to do so.”

That environment, where new theories can be debated and ideas are freely exchanged explains, goes a long way towards explaining why, after nearly a half a decade in the doldrums, United are now one of the most talked about clubs in English football.

Wilder’s pioneering take on the 3-5-2 system, which combined overlapping wing-backs with marauding centre-halves, has been a source of fascination for both Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool since United’s climb out of the Championship. Ward is also winning plaudits for the quality of her work and ability, just like Wilder, to deliver results on a relatively modest budget.

“United is a great club and the business model here, the good work that’s gone on, reassures us in these difficult times,” she says, noting how the women’s game is also being exposed to the challenges caused by the shutdown. “Lots of clubs spend tons of money really quickly, but has that left them in a really good place? I don’t know, I’m not so sure. Here it’s different, we get tons of support in ways that really mean something and that’s great, a real help.”

Although Wilder’s charges have recently returned to training - albeit on a limited basis - social distancing measures designed to try and limit the spread of the disease mean Ward’s players are still working out at home.

“The club have been brilliant, they know we need to get back like the first team and the academy lads,” she acknowledges. “And when we can, and it’s safe to do so, we will.

“Obviously people only want to do so when it’s right and safe and we’re looking at things we can put in place with the experts.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen, season-wise, yet. I’m in contact with the FA and the club, but it won’t just be the FA who decide what happens; it’ll be the teams and the individuals in them as well.

“We’re desperate to get back but if we do, and anyone is worried, then we certainly won’t force them to play because that wouldn’t be right.”

Like Wilder, Ward places great importance on character and camaraderie.

“We’re doing so many video calls that, to be honest, the girls are probably seeing more of each other now than when we were playing,” she smiles. “They have to do a Zoom session with the conditioner and fitness people twice a week, then there’s a wellbeing session and another one where we keep them up to date with everything the FA are saying. Obviously you can’t keep track of everything people are up to when they’re staying at home - although we’ve got a lot who are still having to go to work - but you trust them to do it and, knowing what they’re like, I know they will.”

“There’s a Friday night quiz as well,” Ward continues. “But I don’t know who our champion is because the coaches are banned from taking part. The players don’t let us go on, they do it themselves. We do the staff quiz on a Friday that everyone else at United does.”

Frustrated by the lack of games, Ward nevertheless believes her period of isolation has brought some positives. Both personally - “My partner and I have a new baby, so I’ve enjoyed spending more time with them” - and professionally too.

“I’ve been able to take a step back and look at some of the things I think I’ve done well and some of the things I’ve done not so well, things where I’ve got it wrong,” she says. “Let’s be honest, you don’t often do that, especially when it’s going well, but it’s important you do that if you want to improve.”

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