Sheffield United have ability, this summer will push their durability

Football managers put emphasis on pre-season for a reason. Chris Wilder does so for a very special one.

Sheffield United’s disastrous last pre-season explains everything about where they are now. And why this summer is so important.

But I’m not just talking about the madness of managerial upheaval or crazy decision-making on signings.

It’s big for the most basic of reasons and this is a pointer to Wilder’s recent assertion that he needs a squad in better physical condition next time.

Another reason is that the game has changed in emphasis. My theory is that the greater physicality demanded goes some way to explaining an increase in injuries at most clubs.

But the fact remains that the fitter the player the greater his chance of withstanding what has become an all-action sport for all the players all the time.

I was drawn to the following quotes from Rotherham manager Lee Clark, a former top-flight midfielder at Sunderland, who has been powerless to prevent the injury-ravaged Millers sliding into League Two.

Clark said: “From the Premier League down, look at what football is about now - the basis is athleticism, dynamism, fitness, high outputs. Then, obviously, the higher you go, the technical level is better, but those other things are what it’s all about.

“You look at even Premier League footballers, they’ve got that. They’re smashing 14k, 15k a game in midfield, their sprint levels are off the charts. And they do it every game. They do it Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday.”

You can imagine Wilder nodding to all of that. The game is faster, too. Pace and power are higher prized than ever before.

Managers may have been a big part of changing football to what it has become, not necessarily for the worse, but they also have to go with the trends.

It’s an indicator to how we can expect Sheffield United teams to shape up next season.

And that is much more durably with an ability to go the distance in every sense.