Sheffield United Q&A: Billy Sharp, Kyle Walker returns, new kit, Kalvin Phillips transfer latest, Dore state of play
From Billy Sharp's coaching prospects and Alan Knill's departure to the latest on Kyle Walker, Kalvin Phillips, Gus Hamer and the new training ground, we tackle your latest Sheffield United questions.
Alan Knill's impending departure, Billy Sharp's future, the prospect of Kyle Walker returning to Bramall Lane and whether Kalvin Phillips could follow him back to S2 are among the topics covered in this week's Sheffield United Q&A.
We also opened up the floor to Unitedites and they responded with questions on the club's academy prospects, the new training ground, sponsorship plans and how the Blades are adapting to football's changing financial landscape as Chris Wilder prepares for a crucial summer rebuild.
As ever, thanks for sending your questions in...
@MrPaulSg: Any indication that Billy Sharp will be returning anytime soon on the coaching side?
This question was posed before we broke the news on Thursday of Alan Knill’s departure and that only intensifed the speculation that Sharp would make a dramatic return to Bramall Lane this summer. I have no doubt it will happen at some stage, especially as long as Chris Wilder remains in charge.
But this summer? No. The feeling is that Sharp will continue playing next season as he chases that magic 300-goal record - although it would have been interesting to see what he would have done had he made it there on the final day of last season, instead of being stuck on 299 - before hanging up his boots.
His desire to move into coaching is no secret and United have left the door open for a role in the future, albeit not at the level many expect. The feeling is that Sharp still has to earn his stripes in coaching before being thrust into a senior role at Bramall Lane.
United are expected to bring in a coach to replace Knill this summer, but it will be fascinating to see the role that highly-rated coach Micky Collins is given in the reshuffled set-up. He’s one to keep an eye on.
@reus1889: What impact do you think the new financial restrictions in league football will have on Premier League squads. I am assuming loans and transfers will become much harder to do for Premier League players under contract unless the Prem club pays more of the wages.
It’s a great question and it’s one that, I suspect, clubs are still getting to grips with amid the new financial rules only voted in a few weeks back. Championship clubs tested out the new squad cost ratio rules out in shadow form last season and it didn’t seem to have too much of an impact in terms of top-flight loans, with United themselves signing a fair few.
But I suspect you’re right in terms of the structure of deals, which is what I’d expect to change. Top-flight clubs will still have the same issue they currently have in terms of players on the fringes of their squads, and they also have the resources to soak up a larger proportion of their wages.
In many ways United tested this out last season with the deal they set up with Manchester City for Kalvin Phillips, with the Premier League giants covering the majority of his significant wages. That sort of arrangement may become more the norm as league clubs continue to feel the pinch.
@andyjfletcher81: Will Midnite be the main kit sponsor next season or are the club seeking a new sponsor?
As a self-confessed kit geek this is the kind of important stuff that needs addressing. I hear that talks are ongoing between the two parties about extending, but Midnite have also signed up with recently relegated Wolves - with gambling sponsors removed from kits in the Premier League from this summer - and have spent some dough on marketing of late, also sponsoring the snooker in Sheffield.
They have also been the most engaged sponsor United have had in many years, with a number of initiatives and what marketing people call “activations” these days keeping them in touch with Unitedites. So I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see their name on the shirts again next season.
@jarnij10: Kit date release?
Short and sweet from Jarni. Early July is expected.
@marcustheblade: Do you think Wilder and Co. will have a clear plan and philosophy to tackle our awful fitness record? Players need to last longer than 60/70 mins.
I don’t think so, Marcus - I know they do. The physical state of United’s players was one of the first things that Chris Wilder noticed when he came back in in September and he could barely hide his frustration as the season went on.
I trust his experience and knowledge in the fact that that is hard to address mid-season, and pre-season has been earmarked as the time to really get into the players and get them up to speed ahead of the new season.
It’s also seen as a chance to improve their collective mentality as well, which was another contributing factor in a huge number of points being dropped from winning positions last season.
@Leighto07142984: Any updates on Kyle Walker and a new contract for Gus?
Yes and no, Leighton. On Walker: there remains an interest from United but at the minute, the finances just don’t work. He is still on a staggering amount of dough at Burnley ahead of next season and United, even if they were in the Premier League, probably couldn’t get anywhere near it.
Walker’s desire to return to Bramall Lane before he retires is well known but he is now 36 and although still in good physical shape, that won’t last forever. At some stage he may face a head-v-heart decision and that will test how much he really wants to come home to S2.
As for Hamer, not yet. He’s gone away for the summer and the talks have been left between the club and his representatives. The last I heard, there was a chance he’d re-sign, if United come up with a number that satisfies him and his camp. Whether they will - or can - do that remains to be seen.
@CharlieM1tch: There has been lots of success with the academy, who are the next players to keep an eye on in the U21S/18s to break into the first team?
No Unitedites will remember Craig Beattie’s time at Bramall Lane with any real fondness but there is a real excitement about his lad Jevan, who’s banged in goals galore for the youth sides and is facing an interesting summer.
Will United look to get him out into a first-team environment to accelerate his development, or will he stay at Shirecliffe where United can keep a close eye on him? I suppose you could class Ryan One as an U21 player still, although he’s been earmarked for a first-team role next season. And keep an eye on right-back Sam Colechin’s progress, too.
@kimjae1210: How confident are you that Kalvin Phillips will return to Sheffield United?
I wouldn’t want to put my mortgage on it, purely because it’s not in the hands of either Phillips or United, but it seems like a deal that would suit all parties. Phillips wants to return and play football, United want to bring him back.
He’s realistically unlikely to turn around his City career at this stage and with two years left on his expensive contract, City’s best option may be to pay him most of his salary to play somewhere else.
If they agree to that, then I think it’ll happen. But you should always expect the unexpected in football and so United are sensibly monitoring some other options as well after releasing Jairo Riedewald.
@Charlesmachin_: Any updates on the new training ground?
The latest update was a few months back when Stephen Bettis told fans that an architect had been appointed to begin work on the site, after it had effectively been put on hold by the owners. But the wheels began to turn earlier this year and the whole preparation process is understood to have cost close to £1m before United even went out to tender.
Sources have suggested that McLaren Construction have been entrusted with the project, having previously worked with Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur on their respective facilities. United’s Dore site won’t be as swanky as those - City’s Seagrave facility cost £100m and has a nine-hole golf course - but it doesn’t need to be. It needs to work for United.
And the benefit of this set-up is that United can shape it from scratch, with focus being placed on minute details - even down to where the players enter the new building and the journey they will take through it.