Sheffield United: How sledging, business and setting a positive example helped midfielder through injury nightmare
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The Sheffield United midfielder turned auxiliary defender thanks to the sheer number of injuries among Paul Heckingbottom’s squad, witnessed one of those occasions earlier this month when his team mate Wes Foderingham and Blackpool’s Shayne Lavery ended-up grappling on the pitch following the final whistle of a particularly feisty draw at Bramall Lane. The sight of the usually mild-mannered Foderingham, who is suspended for Saturday’s visit to West Bromwich Albion as a result, reacting so furiously to the opposition forward’s provocation inevitably prompted speculation that something untoward had been said. Although Osborn insists he has no knowledge of what words the pair exchanged - or more likely, given that footballers are terrible gossips, simply doesn’t want to break the code of omerta which governs its dressing rooms - the 28-year-old suggests it will have been the usual knockabout stuff concerning wages, haircuts and results.
“The classic line, the one you hear a lot, is about being skint because someone reckons they’ll be earning a lot more money than you. I’m sure you can imagine what goes on out there because it happens up and down the country, on Sunday morning pitches too. Most of it isn’t meant, it’s just a way of trying to get into an opponent’s head, distract them and knock them off their game. I used to get involved when I was younger but, to be honest, I don’t really bother now.”
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Hide AdMaturity and experience, accumulated during a decade long professional career which started at Nottingham Forest before his move to Bramall Lane three years ago, aren’t the only reasons why Osborn now ignores the jibes which provide an unsavoury soundtrack to many Championship matches. Having recently enrolled on a course to complete his UEFA A-Licence, a commitment which has forced him to temporarily hang-up the guitar he once used to destress after games, Osborn recently established a company called Elite Football Development. Together with friend Jack Andrews - “He used to be pretty well known in non-league circles” - the former Derby County trainee provides a coaching and mentoring programme to youngsters, often from difficult backgrounds, in the east Midlands. Given that he has now moved to the city with his partner - “She’s glad I’m not really doing the music anymore, just the odd strum” - Osborn reveals there are plans to roll-out the programme across Sheffield.
“We got into secondary schools and help people through sport; that’s basically the idea. Most of it is working with people who might, for one reason or another, not have a role model at home. They might come from a bit of a broken family and struggle to concentrate on their school work. But they all love football and, if you can use that to get their attention and influence their life in a positive way, then it’s something we should be doing.
“We help the kids set themselves positive goals and we’ve seen some really good rewards already which is great. There’s a programme we’ve developed, it started with evening football sessions, went on to holiday camps and then got bigger. We’ve talked about bringing it here, trying to set a positive example. My family was a great support to me growing up and not everyone is fortunate enough to have that.”
The project has benefited Osborn personally too, providing him with something to focus on as he recovered from the ankle and hamstring complaints which recently kept him sidelined for two months.
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Hide Ad“It’s really helped me, especially during the injury. I had something to focus on other than just trying to get fit and being down about not playing. I like to learn as much as I can and, dealing with parents and all the other stuff that comes with the company, it’s taught me a lot.”
Three points clear of second place ahead of the recent international break, United travel to The Hawthorns in fifth, six adrift of new leaders Burnley, after failing to win any of their six outings since. Injuries are inevitably a factor behind that dip in form, with Sander Berge, Jayden Bogle, Rhys Norrington-Davies and Max Lowe among those set to miss-out at Albion, while Foderingham is still banned.
“It been crazy, the amount we’ve had,” Osborn confesses, before lending weight to Heckingbottom’s theory that bad luck rather than systemic failures during training is to blame for United’s predicament. “But speaking to people at other clubs, they seem to be getting a lot more too. So maybe we’re unlucky and the schedule might be playing a part too. It might just be the amount of games.”
“From a personal point of view, I’ve not changed anything that I was doing before,” he adds. “They’ve tried to lessen the intensity in training a bit and some of the gym work to stop it (the number of injuries) getting even sillier. It’s a balancing act though. People coming back are getting chucked in quicker than usual because it’s needs-must.”
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Hide AdOsborn remains confident about United’s prospects this term. “It’s consistency and fine lines. If we can be a little bit more solid, that consistency comes back.” But to prevent Heckingbottom’s selection problems from becoming even more acute, he acknowledges United must become a little more “streetwise” and avoid being provoked by any jibes from opponents. Anel Ahmedhodzic, Oliver Norwood and Heckingbottom himself enter the meeting with Albion one yellow card away from a ban.
“We don’t want any unnecessary bookings. Nothing that can be avoided anyway, because you’re always going to collect some.”