Danny Hall: Why Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder deserves serious backing in January - or the missed opportunity could be felt for years at Bramall Lane

The countdown to Christmas is gathering pace at an alarming rate but for many football fans, the festive period is just a precursor to the serious business; the January sales when the transfer window reopens for business.
Chris Wilder (second left) and Sheffield United owner HRH Prince Abdullah bin Musa'ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (second right): Simon Bellis/SportimageChris Wilder (second left) and Sheffield United owner HRH Prince Abdullah bin Musa'ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (second right): Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Chris Wilder (second left) and Sheffield United owner HRH Prince Abdullah bin Musa'ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (second right): Simon Bellis/Sportimage

Otherwise known as silly season in the business, with websites springing up from bedrooms everywhere to link your club with all manner of players from all over the world, it's usually either a chance for your club to bring in fresh blood and impetus, or a month to close the curtains and hide behind the sofa, hoping your star man isn't poached by a player higher up the food chain.

For Sheffield United, it'll more likely be a case of the former rather than the latter when they prepare to travel to Anfield for January 2's clash with champions-elect Liverpool, although you wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if some admiring glances were being cast in the direction of Bramall Lane after United's excellent start to life in the Premier League.

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Fortunately, Chris Wilder and Co.'s proactive work with contracts and the like sees United in a decent and healthy position on that front, John Lundstram aside. Although talks are underway for a new deal for the midfielder.

Instead, Wilder can concentrate more firmly on the arrivals lounge at Bramall Lane, with Ollie Watkins and Mason Holgate amongst those linked with Bramall Lane. Both make sense, even if Watkins' apparent £25m valuation does exemplify the problem with doing any business in January.

The problem United may have, though, is that they may never be in such a good position again to take advantage of the fresh impetus that a January window can bring. Wilder has gone on record to say he is targeting two or three additions, which seems inherently sensible after his current crop helped the Blades to seventh in the table.

The standings show they are only four points off Chelsea, who occupy the final Champions League spot, and ten clear of Southampton who are third for bottom. United, clearly, should only be looking up. But will they ever have such an opportunity to finish inside, say, the top ten, or even go one further and challenge for a place in Europe? It seems fanciful, especially for a club that was in League One until recently, but under Wilder anything suddenly seems possible. It would be a source of great regret, then, if he was not given the tools to go on and at least have a crack at finishing the job.

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The manager, a lifelong Blade himself, would not put the club in danger by overstretching it financially, but would at the same time be more than entitled to expect a level of backing that at least bears some resemblence to his own ambition.

Wilder recently admitted himself that, if United were lower in the table, he would be inclined to advise Prince Abdullah to keep his hand in his pocket in January. Instead, they are punching far above their financial weight once more - and if Wilder isn't allowed to even get close to evening the odds, then the missed opportunity could be felt for years to come at Bramall Lane.

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