Sheffield United: The culture that is fuelling a push for the Premier League

A ‘no excuses’ culture is fuelling Sheffield United’s push for promotion for the Premier League, manager Paul Heckingbottom has revealed.
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Speaking ahead of his team’s Championship play-off semi-final against Nottingham Forest, the 44-year-old praised the resilience they showed in order to secure a top six finish despite a crippling injury crisis earlier this term.

Although United are still without a number of influential performers, including record signing Rhian Brewster, Jayden Bogle and captain Billy Sharp, they signed off the regular season with a 4-0 thrashing of title-winners Fulham.

The explanation

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Insisting they must show the same durability when Forest visit Bramall Lane on Saturday, Heckingbottom said: “There’s a culture here and it’s one of no excuses. Nobody was talking two months ago about the people we didn’t have and the difficulties that could cause. They just faced up to things and got on with their jobs.

“You can’t win anything, you can’t achieve anything if you don’t have that attitude and aren’t willing to adapt.

Morgan Gibbs-White and Sheffield United don't make excuses says manager Paul Heckingbottom: Simon Bellis / SportimageMorgan Gibbs-White and Sheffield United don't make excuses says manager Paul Heckingbottom: Simon Bellis / Sportimage
Morgan Gibbs-White and Sheffield United don't make excuses says manager Paul Heckingbottom: Simon Bellis / Sportimage

“We promote that and we want that. It should be a given at every single club. But, trust me, it’s not.

“We want that attitude to grow even stronger, to get even bigger. Because, I tell you what, it can’t half win you some points.”

The difference-makers

Paul Heckingbottom is preparing his Sheffield United team for the Championship play-offs: Simon Bellis / SportimagePaul Heckingbottom is preparing his Sheffield United team for the Championship play-offs: Simon Bellis / Sportimage
Paul Heckingbottom is preparing his Sheffield United team for the Championship play-offs: Simon Bellis / Sportimage
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United, who travel to the City Ground on Tuesday for the return leg, are expected to partner Iliman Ndiaye and Morgan Gibbs-White in attack when Steve Cooper’s men visit South Yorkshire. The pair were both on target against the Londoners, with Gibbs-White’s 12th since arriving on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers laying the foundations for what proved a statement win.

“I don’t hear anyone mentioning now that we didn’t have Morgan for two months earlier on or that we were playing a winger at wing-back, things like that,” said Heckingbottom. “The lads didn’t complain or make a big thing out of it. They just got on with it and faced-up to the challenges.”

“That mindset is exactly what you want and it’s something that we place a lot of importance on here,” he added. “Within the group, that runs right through all of them. It’s why they’ve been able to do what they have but we still want even more.”