"Two bob..." - Chris Wilder outlines blunt Sheffield United stance amid Gus Hamer, Tyrese Campbell future talk
"Two bob..." - Chris Wilder confirms blunt Sheffield United stance amid Gus Hamer, Tyrese Campbell future talk
Sheffield United are approaching the point where they may have to “make a decision” on the futures of two of their main actors - but Chris Wilder has warned that the Blades will not simply give away Gus Hamer and Tyrese Campbell on the cheap. The pair, who were key in United’s run to the play-off final last season, are now in the final 18 months of their deals.
United have opened initial talks with their representatives about the prospect of extenting their time at Bramall Lane, with both still forming a key part of Wilder’s plans despite not hitting the consistent heights they reached last term.
Hamer has constantly been linked with a move away from United since they were relegated in his first season in South Yorkshire while Everton were understood to be monitoring Campbell’s situation last season when his 10 regular-term goals fired United to Wembley, where he scored against Sunderland in an eventual 2-1 defeat.
United are also in negotiations with the agents of academy products Femi Seriki and Andre Brooks about new deals, with their existing terms also set to expire next summer. United, though, do have options in both of those contracts.
Contracts were one item on the agenda this week for co-owner Steve Rosen as he made a visit to Bramall Lane for Wednesday’s defeat to Coventry City, and the Ohio-based businessman will also be at Loftus Road tomorrow to see his side take on Queens Park Rangers.
“It was pretty difficult before the game on Wednesday, but I had half an hour with them before the game,” said Wilder of the owners. “They were positive and on the front foot, which I would have expected them to be, with what we're doing at the moment.
"Two bob..." - Chris Wilder confirms blunt Sheffield United stance amid Gus Hamer, Tyrese Campbell future talk
“We had positive conversations regarding recruitment. Steve Bettis, in his fans’ forum, talked about the squad cost ratio and how that will affect everybody. We understand there are no parachute payments next season as well, so we have to cut our cloth accordingly.
“We have to be smart, which is no issue for me. We've done that before. We can do that again. They came up to the training ground yesterday morning, watched the boys train and got amongst the players.
“That is really positive for the players as well, to see the owners and how positive they were. And we had a recruitment meeting for an hour yesterday. There was an outstanding presentation put on by Mikey Allen [head of recruitment] and [chief scout] Jamie Hoyland, and then Del Geary and Nick Sheppard came up from the academy and talked about our plans.
“There was a little look around at Dore [on the site of United’s future training ground] and I think Stephen [Bettis] has got more meetings with the owners over the next 24 hours. We work closely and tightly together. I have a really good relationship with the owners, but my full focus is on helping the team and preparing us for a tough game on Saturday.”
Asked specifically about conversations regarding the futures of United’s key men, Wilder admitted: “Yes, we've got to have those. We're starting discussions with agents regarding Femi and Andre. We want to keep our best players and we want to secure their futures here.
“But that doesn't mean that they don't attract interest from elsewhere, and that's the way to run a football club; future planning. We have to come to a decision with Gus and Tyrese, because they’re in the last 18 months of their deals as well. So talks with them.
“But there has to be enthusiasm from other clubs for the boys' services as well, so ongoing stuff that can go either way. What I'm seeing at the moment, and what I demand of everybody, is a committed group.
“We don't get the results and get the performances that we have if we're not committed. So Ty and Gus are with us for 18 months, and I demand and expect committed performances. And they’re producing.
“In terms of discussions, it goes away from me now. It goes into the territory of the advisors and the negotiators, in conjunction with the owners. But as we've talked about loads of times, I've witnessed clubs that have not been in good shape. So we have to make sure that we run the club properly and diligently.”
There is a school of thought in modern-day football that, as soon as a player decides they see their futures elsewhere, the club is effectively rendered powerless. Wilder insists that will not be the case at United.
“It's not just about if the player doesn't want to be here,” he argued. “It's about what's best for the football club as well, so that has to be taken into consideration. So any player can go: ‘I don't want to be here,’ but we're not going to give Gus away.
“If Gus decides not to sign a new deal and we decide to say, well, maybe we have to open it up to offers, and somebody comes in with two bob and a conker, we're not going to accept it, are we? And why should we? So that's the way things roll. But everything's on the table.
“It happens at every club. But if it comes to the stage where Gus doesn't want to sign a new contract - just as an example - he understands that he wants to play football. And he's got to be committed to what we do and play and go by our rules, not anybody else's rules.”
Wilder also has no concerns about Brooks and Seriki’s focus amid the ongoing talk about their futures. “I think you understand my approach to it,” he said. “If I didn’t didn't think they were all in, especially as young boys, they would be playing at the 21s against Fleetwood away on Monday night.”