Sheffield United has become the first club in the Premier League to sack their head coach this season. The Blades sacked Paul Heckingbottom after losing 5-0 to Burnley on December 2 to fall to the bottom of the league table.
Sheffield United have lost 11 of their 14 fixtures this season, and have picked up five points with two draws and one win. The Blades have suffered at both ends of the pitch as they have scored the least amount of goals in the league with 11 goals and conceded the most in the league with 39 goals.
The board’s patience ran out with Heckingbottom when Sheffield United was dominated by Burley, who are also struggling in the relegation zone. Everton is also currently above Sheffield United, even after their recent 10-point deduction by the Premier League.
🚨🔴 Sheffield United have sacked the manager Paul Heckingbottom. It’s over as he’s the first PL head coach to be fired.
Chris Wilder, set to return on Sheffield Utd bench — as @JPercyTelegraph has revealed. pic.twitter.com/ZZQxmXFox2
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 4, 2023
Paul Heckingbottom was appointed by the club in November 2021 and led Sheffield United to a promotion last season, even after numerous off-the-field issues. The former Leeds manager managed Sheffield United for 109 matches in all competitions. He won 51 matches and recorded 40 losses, 11 of which came in the Premier League.
Chris Wilder, the former manager, currently leads the race to replace Heckingbottom. Wilder will return to his boyhood club after 2021. In his first stint, he managed the Blades from 2016 to March 2021 during which he took charge of the team in 227 games in all competitions with a win percentage of 46%.
Paul Heckingbottom criticized Sheffield United for selling key players in the summer
Heckingbottom came into the season with high hopes after an impressive season in the EFL Championship but as per the English manager the club focused on making ‘financial decisions rather than making football decisions’. The manager criticized the board of Sheffield United for selling key players of the squad in the summer ahead of the return to the Premier League.
Sheffield United sold Iliman Ndiaye to Marseille and Sander Berge to Premier League rivals Burnley without proper reinforcement in the summer. Heckingbottom commented about the issue: “I wanted to keep the group together but we couldn’t. We couldn’t because of the last few years and the financial implications. If we’d tied them down [on longer contracts] then we probably wouldn’t have sold those players.”
🗣️ ‘I feel for him’
Sue Smith reacts to the news that Paul Heckingbottom is expected to be sacked by Sheffield United with Chris Wilder the leading contender to take over ⚽ pic.twitter.com/ZskM84gTHn
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 4, 2023
Heckingbottom added on the issue: “There wasn’t a desire from the ownership to sell, but a necessity from a business point of view. We’ve been making financial decisions rather than football decisions. Of course that affects me. I didn’t want it to happen.”
In comparison, Burnley, who were promoted alongside Sheffield United, spent $114 million more, which adds weightage to Heckingbottom’s comments. Chris Wilder will have a tough job on his hands with a return to the Premier League. Looking forward, the Blades will host Liverpool on December 7 in their next Premier League fixture.