Sheffield United: The idea that made Paul Heckingbottom laugh out loud
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Three points clear at the top of the table after winning all of their last four outings, United are scheduled to contest seven games next month beginning with October 1st’s game against Birmingham City.
With injuries limiting Heckingbottom’s room for manoeuvre in defence - even before Anel Ahmedhodzic was diagnosed with a potentially serious muscle problem whilst on duty with Bosnia and Herzegovina - the United manager would usually have welcomed the opportunity to refresh his squad.
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Hide AdBut with 14 players called-up by their respective countries, he said: “There’s no rest, really. Most of the lads are away and working. They won’t be getting any rest.
“There’s certain things we can focus on here at home, change things up a bit. But the boys who are on international duty, they’re going to be hard at it as usual. You get used to it though.”
After negotiating their way through the next five weeks, United will then appear another four times before the competition shuts down for this winter’s World Cup. One of those contests is a rearranged date against Rotherham, who have confirmed their manager Paul Warne has joined Derby County as head coach.
"Once we get back into it, it's going to be all hands to the pump from there up until the break,” said Heckingbottom, who could take his squad abroad during the tournament in Qatar. “And then again after that.”