Sheffield United: When Iliman Ndiaye appeared set to leave Bramall Lane
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But, speaking after watching Iliman Ndiaye edge Sheffield United another step closer towards qualifying for the play-offs, Paul Heckingbottom has revealed the Frenchman was in danger of being cut adrift at Bramall Lane before coaching staff decided it would be criminal to ignore his potential.
Ndiaye, whose second goal in three outings during yesterday’s game against Cardiff City left United sixth in the Championship with two matches remaining, is at the vanguard of an exciting crop of young talent to emerge from Bramall Lane’s youth system; with Will Osula and Daniel Jebbison also regularly featuring in Heckingbottom’s plans.
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Hide AdBut after enrolling on United’s development programme three years ago, Ndiaye’s future in South Yorkshire quickly became the subject of conversation within the club’s coaching circles. And not, it transpired, for positive reasons.
“Iliman was playing nowhere and was probably on his way out when I came in,” Heckingbottom told The Star, describing the situation which confronted him when he first joined United in the summer of 2020.
“He didn’t really fit the system that the club was playing. But we’ve all seen what he can do with the ball, you could see it back then. So we decided to move him, give him a slightly different role.
“The good thing about Iliman is that, not only is he good technically, he’s also a very fast learner too.
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Hide Ad“He takes things, the stuff that people tell him, on board really quickly.”
Speaking to the media earlier this month, when asked to explain why Ndiaye had briefly dropped out of United’s senior squad, Heckingbottom replied he wanted to see the 22-year-old to make more effective use of the skills. After scoring a superb solo effort during December’s win over Fulham in west London, Ndiaye had failed to find the back of the net in 13 appearances. Now, having also been on target when Reading travelled to South Yorkshire on Good Friday, he will enter United’s penultimate contest of the campaign - at Queens Park Rangers - searching for his third in four.
“I really enjoy working with Iliman,” said Heckingbottom, who oversaw United’s under-23 team before being appointed as Slavisa Jokanovic’s successor five months ago. “I did back then as well, but he knows my relationship is different with him now.
“To be honest, I was probably personally tougher with him back then. I’m not so tough on him now.
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Hide Ad“But the thing that is tougher, because he’s playing men’s football, is the judgments. They are a lot harsher.”
Three points clear of seventh placed Millwall, United face Marco Silva’s side after returning from Loftus Road.
Although Billy Sharp is now fit again following injury, Ndiaye’s burgeoning partnership with Morgan Gibbs-White, who produced the cross he headed home, means United’s captain can be eased back into action.
“Iliman and Morgan, they play well together,” Heckingbottom said. “We can’t get away from the fact we need a number nine out there. But those two, they’re really good together.”