James Shield: Two huge snubs for Sheffield United reveal what's wrong with the modern game

If I was being a little mischievous I’d put forward an effort by Oliver Norwood for the first. You know, the one he scored at Aston Villa a few seasons ago during Sheffield United’s stalemate with their rivals from the Midlands. Everyone inside the ground could see the ball had crossed the line. It was just a shame the technology devised to confirm what we all knew didn’t. And of course that infamous incident occurred during a Premier League fixture. In 2019/20. Not 2022/23. Shame. Because I’d have loved to see the delegation from the firm’s headquarters in Basingstoke hand over the silverware to the United midfielder.

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Anyway, back to the EFL’s end of term extravaganza. Where no one from Bramall Lane has been put forward for a prize. That caused a bit of consternation earlier this week, when the shortlists were unveiled. Followers of Paul Heckingbottom’s team were aghast at this bizarre oversight. So were a fair few journalists, including myself I must admit. Particularly given that less than a fortnight earlier I’d based one of these columns around the idea that United’s commander-in-chief, well on the pitch itself at least, should be a shoe-in for the honour given his fine work throughout the campaign. One which, unlike Vincent Kompany, as seen him guide a team into an automatic promotion position whilst dealing with things like a ridiculously protracted takeover, transfer embargo and crippling casualty list. Kompany, who has made an explosive start to life at Turf Moor, is clearly exceptional at his job. So too are Coventry City’s Mark Robins and Middlesbrough’s Michael Carrick, who complete the contenders. But even the slightest understanding of the circumstances surrounding Heckingbottom’s job, peering beyond the fact that like Kompany, his employers are in receipt of a parachute payment, would have seen him bump one of the latter two off. Probably Carrick, in my book, with all due respect to the former England international.

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The reason for the confusion surrounding the EFL’s refusal to recognise Heckingbottom doesn’t actually need an explanation. Even though I’ve provided one.

Iliman Ndiaye’s absence from the PoY category is equally bemusing. But the cause, more subtle and complex. The Senegal international is clearly one of the three best performers in the Championship. That isn’t to say Josh Bronwhill, Chuba Akpom and Viktor Gyokeres aren’t superb footballers too. They are. Their statistics say so. Which brings me, not so nearly or succinctly, to the most important point.

The most important things in the game can not be quantified. Even though we’re being hoodwinked into believing they can. I’m talking about things like imagination, vision, the ability to articulate what you see in your mind into something tangible on the pitch. They’re things Ndiaye possesses in abundance. And they’re more valuable than goals, assists and pace.

The modern era’s obsession with stats is probably to blame for the EFL’s oversight of Ndiaye.

Chris Wilder’s triumph in the MoY awards following United’s climb into the top-flight was an example of when judging panels get it right. Those put forward for prizes this year by the EFL is, given the lack of any representation from Bramall Lane, an instance when things go badly wrong.

•The brains behind the UK and Republic of Ireland bid to host the 2028 European Championships have identified the stadiums which will stage matches at the tournament if their proposal gets the green light. It’s no surprise whatsoever to discover none of them are in Sheffield.

What would be ridiculous, however, is refusing to place the city at the heart of the project’s marketing material. Mind you, it’s only the birthplace of the game billions of people recognise and love today. So perhaps that is pushing things a bit. Particularly given the modern world’s fascination with money, glitz and glamour rather than things of actual substance.

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Anfield, one of the most famous grounds on the planet, has also been overlooked because the size of its playing surface doesn’t meet with UEFA requirements. It’s that thing about numbers I was talking about earlier, when discussing Ndiaye’s failure to make the cut in the EFL’s PoY category. Which is a shame because if you asked those who fancy their chances of getting called-up by their respective countries if they’d rather tread the boards there or at Everton’s yet-to-be-built new home at Bramley Dock, I’d be prepared to wager a couple of quid they’d pick the former. Still, what do I know.

Most people on the planet don’t realise how important this region is when it comes to football’s history. The governing bodies clearly aren’t bothered. They’d make more of a fuss if they were. And the same goes for those people on the council who, despite the best efforts of some of their colleagues, have yet to build anything of any significance to celebrate its status.

Like you, I’m getting tired of hearing plenty of well-meaning words but seeing precious little in terms of action.

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