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It’s all change at Sheffield United, but for those at Bramall Lane, it’s a familiar change.
Chris Wilder returned to the Blades earlier this week after Ruben Selles’ time in South Yorkshire was brought to a premature end, with Charlton Athletic making the trip to S2 this weekend.
EFL Analysis has backed Sheffield United to beat the Addicks, but there are concerns about the number of goals being scored by the second tier side right now with the Championship’s bottom club having only found the back of the net once in 2025/26.
Nevertheless, work is ongoing behind the scenes to get Wilder the backroom staff that he needs to help turn this season around, and he has spoken about the situation.
Chris Wilder opens up on the backroom staff situation at Sheffield United
The lack of stability in the dugout at Bramall Lane in the last few months finally looks as though it has calmed down, and ultimately, Wilder is the best man for the job.
However, the changes since June mean that Sheffield United have had to bring back even more familiar faces to the club and the returning head coach has explained how that has unfolded.
He said (via: The Star): “Yeah, we’re looking to freshen up the backroom staff as well. We lost Jack [Lester] to Brentford and the ownership group and Steve [Bettis, chief executive] are very enthusiastic about what we can do as well. So there’ll be a couple of different faces coming into the coaching group as well, which we’re really looking forward to.
“I think that freshens it up for me. I think it freshens it up for the players and Alan as well. Mickey Collins, who I’ve got an enormous amount of respect for, will be promoted back into the first team group and will take a more prominent part than he has done recently and return to what he did last season.
“He’s a very good, young, up-and-coming coach and just like the players, there is a pathway for the coaches in the academy to go into the senior management group. Mickey will be back with us and in time we’ll announce, hopefully, the additions to help us and help the players.”
It’s vital that Chris Wilder gets his backroom staff in quickly
Six defeats in six games in all competitions is not the way that anybody expected Sheffield United to start this season. However, there is almost nothing to lose at this point and Wilder can prove to the board why they should not have sacked him in the first place.
With the speed that he returned to the club, it has perhaps taken a little bit longer to sort his own backroom staff and bringing in people that he trusts is incredibly important.
Mickey Collins knows Sheffield United incredibly well and he’ll be another familiar face for the players, and one that they can trust.
Yet, it is also vital that results do come quickly, with the club still having huge promotion ambitions despite this start.