James Shield's Sheffield United Column: Why The Blades should consider strengthening their ties with Scotland

It has proved to be a challenging but worthwhile trip, including for those of us, your’s truly included, who found themselves in the middle of a violent storm engulfing Tayside before, during and after Tuesday’s friendly at Dundee United.

The match was abandoned at half-time, leaving Chris Wilder’s squad short on minutes but Sander Berge, the only player in their starting eleven hailing from beyond the UK and Ireland, high on experience of the type of conditions he is likely to face in England over the winter months. Should, hailing from Norway, which isn’t exactly known for its balmy weather, he actually need it.

United have ventured north of the border on several occasions in recent years. In 2006, after being promoted from the Championship under Wilder’s predecessor Neil Warnock, they faced Inverness Caledonian Thistle in a testimonial for Ross Tokely - now of the beautifully named St Duthus FC - before venturing to Greenock Morton. Seven years later, when David Weir briefly took charge, United met the men from Renfrewshire again, ahead of visits to Cowdenbeath and Raith Rovers.

Weir, as classy an individual off the pitch as he was on it, saw his managerial ambitions wrecked by a terrible sequence of results when competition proper started. But then again, agreeing to sell Kevin MacDonald at the beginning of the campaign, after Weir had built his midfield around the former Burnley schemer, was hardly the best way for the board to help him make a success of his first and as yet only stint in sole charge of a club.

By rights, Wilder and his team should have been in France right now - having booked a hotel near Evian, a town located on the shores of Lake Geneva, until government travel restrictions designed to curb the spread of Covid-19 wrecked those plans. But in a sense, Scotland makes for a more sensible base given that heading here involves less travel time for players who are scheduled to return to action in less than a month.

It also, as events inside Tannadice reminded, provides an opportunity for United to examine a market they should be looking to exploit more closely. Even though, after attempting to do so with mixed success in the past, another influx of players from this part of the world would probably not be welcomed by some.

For every Jamie Murphy and Ryan Flynn, there was a Conor Sammon, who despite hailing from Dublin effectively established himself at Kilmarnock.

In such a difficult financial climate, as the after-effects of the coronavirus pandemic continue to wreak havoc with football’s balance sheets, United could do a lot worse than scouring Scotland for fresh talent.

Wes Foderingham, one of two new signings made by Wilder since the end of last term, completed a long and successful stint with Rangers before being summoned to South Yorkshire.

If you can play Old Firm football, you are unlikely to be intimidated by anything the English game has to offer. You have to be a mighty fine and capable professional too. The phrase ‘Massive Club’ was invented for the Glaswegian giants, with their history and fanatical support bases.

"“In all respect, I’m not so sure people really understand just how big Rangers are,” Wilder said following Foderingham's official unveiling. “The same goes for Celtic too. Seriously, there’s unbelievable pressure associated with representing either of them and it takes a strong person to do that.”

Although United need to spread their wings when it comes to recruitment, their rise through the divisions under Wilder, whose policy so far has focused on British and Irish players, illustrates the importance of carving a niche too.

Foreign scouting networks are expensive to set-up and pricey to maintain. The costs and the logistics of doing so in Scotland, where English sides also get plenty of bang for their buck, are likely to be more manageable.

Plus, given the common language and culture, there are less risks involved when sourcing talent from places such as Ibrox, Parkhead, Tynecastle, Easter Road or even Dens Park - where Dundee United’s neighbours Dundee have just announced widespread cuts to their academy programme.

A short pass down the road, scouts from Leeds, Everton, Southampton and Leicester City have all watched one of The Terrors’ finest teenagers, centre-half Lewis Neilson, in action recently. If Carlo Ancelotti thinks the youngster can play, then that’s good enough for me.

Wilder’s reputation for giving people an opportunity should make United an attractive destination for anyone in Neilson’s position, who looks set to move on shortly to progress his career. Scottish football deserves better than to simply be regarded as a breeding ground for English teams.

But football isn’t always fair - as Weir knows only too well - and so United would be wise to strengthen their relationships in this part of the world - either with a view to bolstering Wilder’s options in the future or, just as importantly, exposing some of their own home-grown youngsters to top-fight action before filtering them into his plans.

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