Sheffield United should heed lessons from costly mistake on this day in 2021 amid play-off defeat fall-out

On this day in 2021, Sheffield United appointed Slavisa Jokanovic as their new boss. It was supposed to herald the start of a new era at Bramall Lane; a departure from the hands-on management style that had brought them considerable success previously. The former Fulham and Watford boss was a head coach, the first from outside the UK and Ireland in the home Bramall Lane dugout.

The experiment did not work. United’s squad had just suffered a painful relegation season, but was set up to go straight back up to the Premier League with a couple of smart additions. Instead, Jokanovic tried to change too much, too soon and was sacked 22 games into a three-year deal. The Blades effectively gave the rest of the league a half-season start and they still came within a penalty shootout of a play-off final under Paul Heckingbottom.

No-one can predict the future but understanding the mistakes of the past can certainly go a long way. Cards on the table; for my money, there’s no man better to lead the Blades’ latest rebuild, after Saturday’s painful Wembley defeat to Sunderland in the play-off final, than Chris Wilder.

So it was promising to hear of words of support towards the Blades chief in the aftermath of Tommy Watson’s 95th-minute winner that sentenced United to a 10th play-off disappointment in the modern era. Frustration is inevitable and none will have felt it more than a man who lives and breathes United in both a professional and personal capacity.

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But to see question marks about his position, albeit from a vocal minority on social media, beggars belief. United lost out on automatic promotion only to two of the best second-tier sides in recent memory, who both reached a century of points. United’s haul of 90 - they actually won 92 but lost two before the season even began - would have seen them avoid the play-off lottery in many other campaigns.

On Saturday evening, the pain etched all over his face, Wilder spoke about the defeat taking a bit of time to get over. But he is back at work already, planning for another crack next season. A smart summer should give them every chance, even if some departures do seem somewhat inevitable. The fire burns brigher within him than it ever has, and that could be a powerful driving force.

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There are some omens in United’s favour, too. Two other sides in recent history have come down from the Premier League in recent times, won 90+ points in their first season back at second-tier level but lost in the play-offs. Both - ironically, Sunderland in 1998 and Leeds United last year - went on to win the league the following year, with a points tally in the three figures.

Already the bookies have United as third favourites for the title next term, behind Ipswich Town and Southampton. All three relegated clubs have their own issues, not least Leicester City, while promoted Wrexham and Birmingham City may fancy their chances of another tilt. But evolution, not revolution, will see the Blades go well again, after setting much of the groundwork this time around.