The strange story which reveals why Sheffield United are equipped to confront the challenges created by Covid-19

But of all the problems Chris Wilder has faced since becoming a manager, one he was forced to solve during a spell in charge of Halifax taught him more about the business than a thousand hours in the classroom could.

“I remember back then,” he laughs, “Right at the start of my career when I’d planned this training session right down to the last detail. Then, when we turned up at the pitches we were using at the time, we discovered there was a dog show. I think it’s fair to say that’s when I learnt to adapt.”

Wilder’s experiences at The Shay, where 14 years ago he led his team to the Conference play-off final despite a crippling financial crisis, explain his relaxed demeanour now. As many of his top-flight counterparts complain about their lot during the Covid-19 pandemic - and gripe about aspects of the ‘Project Restart’ plan - the man responsible for leading Sheffield United into battle accepts compromises will be necessary in order to salvage the season.

“Listen, nothing will be perfect but you just get on with it,” Wilder says, noting United’s training facilities mean social distancing protocols inconvenience them more than any other Premier League club. “There’s been times when I’ve had the call from the physio on a Saturday morning to tell me my star player’s been up to something the night before and he’s not available for selection. Stuff happens and you learn to adapt. Everyone has their own journey to this level. Maybe the one I’ve taken means I’m more comfortable with the things we’re having to do now. Really, it doesn’t faze me.”

Wilder is now one of England’s most talked about managers, having led his newly promoted squad to seventh in the table before the fixture programme was suspended in March. Only five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea and in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, United are serious contenders to secure entry into either the Champions or the Europa leagues next term. But Wilder’s route to the highest level has exposed him to the ugly side of the game too. After cutting his coaching teeth in Sunday League football before being hired by Alfreton, the former United defender then enjoyed success with both Oxford and Northampton Town following his stint in West Yorkshire. After delivering the League Two title to Sixfields, United, then languishing in the third tier, came calling in May 2016.

Although Newcastle’s Steve Bruce and Nigel Pearson of Watford are among those to express concerns about the speed with which the PL plans to come out of lockdown - June 12 or June 19 have been mooted as possible return dates - Wilder insists it remains an achievable target for “fit young men”.

So much so, he is already devising strategies for next season - which could begin only a couple of weeks after the present one is scheduled to conclude in July.

“I’ve always been a planner,” he acknowledges. “We’re planning now. We’ve got a plan about how next season is going to look.

“Financially, I think everyone recognises that clubs will lose money because of this. There’s been talk of broadcasters wanting a couple of quid back too, because they’ve had nothing to show for quite a long time now.

“We might have to change a few things but, going back to my time at Halifax, we’ve always had to adapt and the same goes for the staff here as well. You always have to be ready to compromise. Even more so now.

“Being flexible, for me, has always been part of being a manager. That’s why I like to plan for everything, so hopefully you’re covered whatever happens.”

United’s players, the majority of whom started out in the lower leagues themselves, received the green light to return to small-sided training on Tuesday after all testing negative for the respiratory disease. Contact is still outlawed and social distancing measures, given the size of the site in Shirecliffe, have created a number of issues as United are forced to comply with strict PL guidelines. Wilder made a point of praising the club’s in-house doctors and medical team for their work in recent weeks, as Bramall Lane’s hierarchy sought to ensure the facility was available for use.

“Our place isn’t as big, nowhere near as big, as the other teams in this division,” he says. “We don’t have the same facilities. That’s not a gripe. That’s just the speed of the journey we’ve been on. So it’s been difficult to make sure we tick every box but we’ve got there. You just do it and get on with it, don’t you.”

“We’ve got plans to improve everything as we look to drive the club forward,” he adds. “There’s things we want to do and we want the academy to get category one status, so we have to have certain things in place. Obviously a lot of those have been put back because of the situation but again, you just deal with it.

“The lads here have got the same attitude and that’s brilliant to see. They’ve all missed it and they’d get back out there tomorrow if they could because they want to build on what they’ve done so far.”

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