Sheffield United are warned to avoid the big mistake many teams relegated from the Premier League make

In an address to the squad he inherited from Chris Wilder, which can also be interpreted as a pitch to supporters as Bramall Lane’s board gives serious consideration to handing him the position on a permanent basis, caretaker manager Paul Heckingbottom reminded that spending two seasons in the top-flight is a guarantee of nothing when the new campaign gets underway.

“If anyone thinks it’s going to be easier, if anyone goes into it with that outlook then they’re going to be in for a shock,” he said. “It won’t be. It will be tough and although, admittedly, you’re not going to be up against world class players every single week, you are still going to be playing against exceptional talents.

“That means, if you’re not ‘at it’ then you’re going to get found out. So if anyone has that about them, which in fairness knowing this group they won’t, then they’re going to be found out and found out pretty quickly. It won’t work and it can’t happen.”

Although it has ultimately proved to be a weakness at the highest level, the fact so many if those at Heckingbottom’s disposal are veterans of United’s 2019 promotion winning season should work in their favour later this year. LIkewise the fact that, after leading them to a ninth placed finish before September’s return to action, one of Wilder’s gifts to his former club is an enhanced parachute payment.

Providing that is put to good use - with some of it being reinvested in the team this summer - United should enjoy at least a financial headstart over many of their rivals. Particularly as the contracts they have awarded since Wilder’s appointment in 2016 all contain relegation clauses.

Despite acknowledging he has stressed the importance of “keeping the group together” during a series of strategy meetings with directors, Heckingbottom said: “We’ve also got to try and improve everything we do, if we’re going down a level or not. That’s not a criticism, far from it, because anyone in football will tell you the same thing.”

“Whoever comes into the squad has got to move it on, help to drive things forward and bring even more out of the players we’ve already got,” he added.

Despite calculating United should be well placed to challenge providing they avoid a fire sale, Heckingbottom will also be aware of the fact United have taken 12 years to return following their previous two demotions from the PL.

“What I’ll say is that we’ll be starting from a much stronger base than when Chris came in,” Heckingbottom said, reflecting upon the fact United were in League One when Wilder took charge in 2016. “What happened was amazing, brilliant to watch. Relegation is never nice, but we’re financially in a better place which is something positive to consider.”

Having been invited to help shape the strategy United will adopt as they enter the post-Wilder era in earnest, Heckingbottom has identified several areas of concern he believes must be addressed. Although United have let it be known that whoever is appointed as the 53-year-old’s successor will be expected to persevere with his 3-5-2 formation - almost certainly to avoid an expensive and potentially disruptive overhaul - Heckingbottom’s reluctance to try something different between now and the end of the month stems from the lack of genuine width at his disposal. Neither Ben Osborn or Jayden Bogle could be described as natural wingers while Luke Freeman, now on loan at Nottingham Forest, looked more effective in a central position before being dispatched to the City Ground.

With question marks hanging over the futures of Sander Berge and John Lundstram - the latter is now in the final few weeks of his contract - an attacking midfielder is also required, with youngster Iliman Ndiaye providing support. He has appeared on the team sheet only once since opening discussions about a new deal.

Heckingbottom’s immediate priority, however, is lifting the mood behind the scenes. Either to benefit himself or, should United decide to hire externally, whoever steps into the breach. Alexander Blessin, the Oostende head coach, is still of interest despite being informed he is unlikely to qualify for a work permit. Bu chief executive Steve Bettis’ decision to publicly confirm Heckingbottom’s presence on a five strong shortlist, whilst electing against identifying anyone else, is believed to have been an attempt to float the idea of tasking him with restoring their PL status among a support base many of whom are still divided about the wisdom of Wilder’s departure.

Aware of the need for United to start strongly when they return to action in August, Heckingbottom recognises winning competitive fixtures will accelerate that process far quicker than prevailing in pre-season friendlies.

“Obviously the standard isn’t as high as the Premier League,” he said. “That almost goes without saying, because it’s obvious. But there are still some exceptional players in the Championship. Players who are capable of changing a game on their own and taking it away from you, so we have to be ready and get back to imposing ourselves.

“The difference at this level is that there’s more than one in every team. Basically they run all the way through, albeit by bringing different qualities to the table.”

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