Why Sheffield United's manager admitted West Brom pre-match was the toughest press conference ever

But yesterday’s pre-match press conference at the Randox Health Academy proved to be an excruciating experience for Paul Heckingbottom, as he attempted to tread a fine line between acknowledging the position his squad find themselves at the fag end of another gruelling Championship campaign and inadvertently giving the impression he feels their job is already complete. ‘It isn’t’ was the message United’s manager repeatedly tried to convey, despite being faced with a barrage of questions framed around what it ‘would mean’ to reach the top-flight and ‘what might happen’ if they do.

“Do you know how I view this one? This is how I’m treating it,” replied Heckingbottom, when asked by The Star during his latest address to journalists if it was one pre-game briefing he’d rather avoid. “We either do what we have to do and I spent the next three regurgitating the same answers. Or we have a nightmare one at the end (of the season). The focus for us is no different. How we have prepared is no different.”

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Despite finding himself in an awkward situation - “I’m trying to be really careful here because, anything I say that gives the wrong impression, I’m aware that West Brom will be reading it and thinking ‘Oh no you’re not’” - Heckingbottom expertly completed what was a delicate balancing act ahead of the meeting with Carlos Corberan’s men. There were repeated references to the fact Albion are chasing a Premier League return themselves - “They’re a really good group” - and also warnings about the dangers of suddenly adopting a different approach to the one which has served both his squad and his staff so well since August.

“As the games and the attention on us has got bigger towards the end, as the division is getting closer, I can see the focus of the players shifting,” Heckingbottom said. “The games have got that edge and we’ve been dealing with that all the way through, so the situation doesn’t freeze us.

“We’ve been able to take it one game at a time all the way through and that is ingrained in us. If you have to keep telling someone to do something then it’s not ingrained is it?”

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Speaking ahead of United’s pentultime home assignment of the season, the closest Heckingbottom came to acknowledging that top-flight football is now tantalisingly close was a plea to supporters to “stay off the pitch” if United secure the result they need. He was more forthcoming on the subject of Albion, who are two points outside the play-off positions in ninth - seven places behind his side.

“Look, they are bloody good,” he said. “It’s just been about consistency. Burnley are leaders because they’ve been the most consistent, then us. But everyone has had runs and if you look at where they were when Carlos came in to where they are now, that shows you what they can do.

“I’m guessing the majority of this press conference is going to be ‘if’. We don’t want it to be about that. We know we have to be at our best against a very good team, one chasing the play-offs.”

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