Sheffield United man echoes supporters' growing concerns in honest verdict on Blades' new-season hopes
Conor Washington believes Chris Wilder has everything needed to lead Sheffield United back into promotion contention – on the proviso that he is backed in the transfer market to build a squad capable of challenging at the top of the Championship.
Chris Wilder has been backed to turn Sheffield United into promotion challengers once again this season - but only if the Blades boss is given the tools to do the job in the transfer market. The Blades are hoping to improve on last term’s 13th-placed finish.
But the early signs are not particularly promising, with just two fresh faces from last year’s squad despite a glut of departures. Romelle Donovan is an unknown quantity on the right flank while 34-year-old Matt Doherty offers welcome experience behind him.
But United are still two centre-halves and a left winger short of where they wanted to be this week, as they prepare to kick off their season in the EFL Cup against Mansfield Town on Sunday.
And there may yet be more pain to come if Coventry City meet their asking price for Gus Hamer, who they are targeting this summer after being promoted back to the Premier League.
Former United striker Conor Washington helped the Blades win promotion from the Championship in 2018/19 and has since returned to Bramall Lane in a coaching capacity at Shirecliffe.
"I had a brilliant season under Chris at United," Washington said. "I'm actually working there now, so I see him relatively regularly. He's a great character.
“We moan about it a lot, don't we, that the game doesn't have characters anymore, and Chris is a real big character. He's got an infectious personality and drives standards as well, which is really important.
"There's no time for down days. He embodies that in the way that he approaches training and being in every day, and just the demands and the quality that he puts into the sessions with his staff."
The Championship promotion race is expected to be fierce once again after the expansion of the play-offs to six teams, leaving even more teams dreaming of a shot at the top-flight riches.
"I'd be more surprised if they aren't challenging for promotion again, to be honest, just with the track record that he and the staff have got," Washington added of United.
"And hopefully he'll be backed by the owners in the transfer market to go and make a squad capable of being at the top end of the Championship again, which he's obviously done numerous times now.
"As a manager, he can be ruthless when he needs to be, and I sort of fell foul of that, I guess, towards the back end of the [2018/19] season. But ultimately, his goal was to get the club promoted, and he brought in other players to help do that.
“So I've got total respect and understanding of that, and left with his best wishes at the time, and have had a good relationship with him since. And, like I say, I'd be more surprised if Sheffield United weren't challenging for promotion again."