Sheffield United's focus won't change during their enforced coronavirus break

Every challenge Sheffield United face, their manager has demanded, is confronted with attitude and head-on.

It is something he is demanding the players remember during their coronavirus enforced break.

United’s squad might not be training as usual.

They could be looking, depending upon how the health crisis unfolds, at several months without a game.

But as English football approaches its second week of shutdown, United’s squad is being told to ensure, when the fixture calendar restarts, eight months of good work does not go to waste.

“Whatever we are facing, we always try and face it in the same way,” Wilder said. “And that’s by making the best of what we’ve got, giving it our all and not being distracted or whatever by anything.”

Seventh in the table and in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, United’s exploits since being promoted from the Championship have captured the imagination of fellow professionals and pundits alike. With UEFA’s decision to delay Euro 2020 until next summer seemingly ending fears the campaign might have to be abandoned altogether, it is the job of Wilder and those under his command to do everything within their powers to make sure what has already been an amazing footballing story enjoys a fairytale ending.

As training schedules get revised and folk are warned to prepare for the possibility of more social distancing measures, that means adhering strictly to the individual programmes devised by United’s fitness and conditioning department.

Speaking before all competition in England was suspended, Wilder admitted it was “inevitable” the game in this country was facing a period of lockdown given the situation elsewhere in Europe. So United used their final get-together before his worst fears were realised to remind the playing staff of their individual responsibilities.

“We know what we’ve got to do, what we want to do and how we’ve got to go about trying to achieve it,” Wilder said. "That attitude isn't going to change moving forward. They lads always give the maximum they've got to whatever they're doing."