What Sheffield United fans can expect from Matt Doherty as expert Wolves verdict delivered
Matt Doherty has arrived at Sheffield United with more than 400 senior appearances and over 50 Republic of Ireland caps to his name. But what can Chris Wilder and Blades supporters expect from the experienced defender?
Matt Doherty will bring a good blend of attitude and ability to Sheffield United, Blades fans have been told, after the Republic of Ireland international signed a one-year deal at Bramall Lane earlier this week. The deal for the 35-year-old contains an option for a further season.
Doherty was a free agent after leaving Wolves for the second time earlier this summer, and his signing is another piece of the puzzle in place for boss Chris Wilder ahead of the new season.
He had been keen to add cover and competition for Femi Seriki at right-back and also bring some of the experience that Wilder had been keen to add to his group after the disappointment of last season.
Doherty has more than 50 caps to his name for his country and has played more than 400 career games across two spells at Wolves and stints at clubs including Tottenham Hotspur and Atlético Madrid.
Unitedites could get their first glimpse of him in a Blades shirt in tomorrow’s friendly trip to Rotherham United and, in the meantime, we caught up with Liam Keen from the Express and Star to get the lowdown on what we can expect from Doherty...
“For the first 10 years of Doherty's career at Wolves he was a full-back,” said Liam. “Mainly on the right but occasionally the left to cover for injuries, and he then became a flying right-wing-back under Nuno Espirito Santo.
“He was a huge success under Nuno and a big part of the team that got Wolves into the Europa League, which eventually earned him his move to Spurs.
“On his return to the club for three more seasons, he transitioned to more of a centre-back, often on the right of a back three, and used his experience well to change into a different position but still put in strong performances.
“As a player he's very committed and willing to do the hard yards. He has probably lost a yard of pace due to his age, but supporters will still see a player that is technically skilled and fully committed in every capacity.
“He will have to use his positional awareness to his benefit and to help cover some struggles athletically in comparison to what he was like earlier in his career, however he is still in good shape and is a top professional.
“Off the pitch, he is a good personality with his team-mates but always been a bit quieter when it comes to being a natural leader. However, he did grow into that role more in the final few years at Wolves as the team struggled and he took up more responsibility.
“He is charismatic and well-liked by his team-mates but is often someone that does most of his talking on the pitch.”