Why it was so important Sheffield United tied John Egan down on a new deal
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The defender, an integral part of the club’s climb out of the Championship to ninth in the Premier League table, is not only a fine and accomplished centre-half. He is, as manager Chris Wilder pointed-out in the press release published to help relay the news, one of the most influential figures in the dressing room too. The same as captain Billy Sharp, his vice Oliver Norwood and David McGoldrick - who have also agreed to extend their stays with United in recent months. Wilder likes to surround himself with low maintenance but highly committed and focused professionals.
Of course, although Egan’s contribution off the pitch has been of the utmost importance, it is on it where the Republic of Ireland international has made the biggest impression. And this made it important, absolutely vital in fact, that United protected their investment. Inevitably, talk of incoming players creates the most noise during a transfer window. But if Wilder’s squad is to progress, to build upon its achievements over the past 24 months or so, the new faces that arrive must embellish the options already at his disposal - not plug gaps created by unwelcome departures.
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Hide Ad“John has been outstanding and knowing the boy as we do,” Wilder said, “We know he’s not a comfortable footballer. He wants to continue to improve.”
Business-wise, with Egan expected to become a regular for his country as Stephen Kenny tweaks the team he has inherited from Mick McCarthy, today’s development makes perfect sense. Despite being 27-years-old, Egan’s value will grow with every cap. Likewise, his list of admirers.
Tactically, though, it is even more significant. Jack O’Connell and Chris Basham, who has also accepted improved terms and conditions since the end of last season, might dominate the conversation whenever pundits analyse Wilder’s use of overlapping centre-halves. But Egan is the glue that holds them together, providing the duo with the platform to charge forward and surge past their wing-backs with his physical presence and positional nous. Egan’s mobility, which often goes unrecognised, enables United to often leave him one on one with an opposition striker - and O’Connell and Basham the freedom to instigate attacks. Extremely durable, he has missed only four league games since arriving from Brentford in the summer of 2018, Egan’s dependability is another of his greatest assets. United’s results during ‘Project Restart’ - when O’Connell was struggling with injury - underlined the importance of keeping this unit together; particularly as the likes of Jack Robinson and, to a lesser extent, Ben Osborn master the challenges of United’s pioneering take on the 3-5-2 system.