Sheffield United's manager says football's critics are overlooking one very important point

The nation’s health, they argue, should be the only thing people are focused on at present. Not how to kickstart English football’s flagship competition.

It is not a viewpoint Chris Wilder understands. Nor does he want to, despite echoing Arrigi Sacchi’s belief that football, particularly during times of crisis, is the “most important of the least important things.” But Sheffield United’s manager does believe that sport has a vital role in society. And, given that it has now grown into a multi-billion pound industry, shouldn’t be criticised for drawing-up its post-coronavirus exit plan.

“What else are we supposed to do,” Wilder asked, when the question of the public’s sensibilities was put to him. “What are we meant to be doing? We’re just trying to put things in place, and think about how we come out of all of this, like any other business is doing.

“Listen, everyone understands there’s a bigger picture. We’re not daft or stupid. We all know that.

“But we have to try and make sure we know what we’re doing when we get the green light to start again. I don’t think you can criticise football for that. It’s just doing the right thing.”

Wilder has already demonstrated he grasps football’s social responsibilities by ordering his board of directors to halt contract negotiations with existing squad members until the pandemic begins to ease.

“It just wouldn’t be right,” he said, noting the economic impact of social distancing measures, “To be handing out improved contracts at this moment in time. Not when there’s people out there losing their jobs or having to take pay cuts. It wouldn’t be a good look.”

But during a series of interviews with the regional media, performed via video link from his home in the city, the 52-year-old also highlighted why those accusing clubs of being selfish for exploring the possibility of a return to action next month are missing a crucial point.

“Football clubs aren’t just about players and managers,” Wilder said. “They’re about more than that and they’re things, quite rightly, that whole communities are proud of.

“There’s also lots of things that aren’t to do with football that depend on it happening. With no games going on at the moment, tell me that the landlord or the landladies of the local pubs near the ground aren’t feeling it. The same goes for the cafes, the restaurants, the cafes and the burger vans, all the things like that. Because we’re all part of the community and we’re all linked.”

"When you turn the television on, there's not much good news at the moment," he continued. "And, when football does come back, I believe it will give people a lift.

"Obviously we understand there's things more important than football and that we're not the most important people in all of this. But football is important to a lot of people for a lot of different reasons as well, including some of those I've mentioned."

Earlier today, United and other PL members held the latest of their fortnightly meetings to discuss the challenges created by Covid-19 and put more flesh on the bones of ‘Project Restart’; a strategy which could, subject to government approval, see matches resume next month following a 14 week break.

However, the delegates will wait until Downing Street reveals its latest guidance on May 7 before reaching a concrete decision on whether or not this is realistic.

The feasibility of introducing widespread testing - and drawing up a list of ‘approved stadia’ capable of staging the remaining matches - will also have to be tackled should the PL press ahead, with many clubs now known to be investing in equipment capable of detecting whether or not someone is carrying the virus.

Another problem surrounds what would happen if competition does resume and a player expresses an unwillingness to take part in games for fear of endangering the health of either themselves or their families. One top-flight side has already privately signalled they will not compel anyone to make themselves available for selection in such circumstances and, although United have not publicly stated their own position, it is expected they would adopt a similar approach.

Sergio Aguero, the Manchester City centre-forward, has claimed “the majority” of players are scared of returning. Although the Argentine and many of his colleagues might have genuine concerns, the difficulty of speaking for football or footballers as a whole was illustrated when FIFA’s chief medical officer warned it would be foolish to try and salvage seasons, only for his counterpart at UEFA to adopt an entirely different stance.

United partially reopened their training complex earlier this week and Wilder, having stayed in contact with those under his command via Skype and Zoom, thinks most members of a United squad which had risen to seventh in the table before fixtures were suspended are in favour of returning to action “as soon as it is deemed safe.”

“The way the lads are going about their business is brilliant,” Wilder, who concedes it is inevitable games will be staged behind closed doors for the foreseeable future, said. "They've been working really hard, everything is monitored.They’re desperate to get back but they understand there’s a bigger picture.”

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