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Chris Wilder has completed his dramatic return to Sheffield United, and one thing you cannot deny is just how much he loves that football club.
There was only ever going to be one man who could replace Ruben Selles once the decision was made to part with the Spaniard, and Chris Wilder duly answered that call.
Obviously, there are lots of issues for Wilder to fix upon his return to Sheffield United. But, he’s clearly not about to shy away from that.
In fact, Wilder is already making positive changes and sorting out his backroom staff ahead of this weekend’s clash with Charlton Athletic. And, based on his first press conference, he’s going to give it everything he’s got to turn things around.
What Chris Wilder said about Sheffield United upon returning
In a press conference that lasted a whopping 68 minutes, Wilder talked candidly about his return to the club. From discussing the players’ attitudes, to the process of being asked to come back, no stone was left unturned.
What’s interesting, though, is that Wilder downplayed any idea of vindication in light of the Sheffield United board clearly making a mistake in sacking him in the first place.
| Dates | Days in charge | Games | W | D | L | PPG | Win rate |
| Dec 2023-Jun 2025 | 561 | 78 | 34 | 13 | 31 | 1.47 | 43.59% |
| May 2016-Mar 2021 | 1765 | 227 | 106 | 44 | 77 | 1.59 | 46.69% |
He said: “I wasn’t looking for an apology. I’m not coming in smug about this situation. It’s my football club and we’re bottom of the division. We’ve played six, lost six; We’re not looked at as being in a good place in the football world right now.
“There’s a lack of respect towards the club which has to be owned. We have to help the players. We have the ability to turn this around. But I wasn’t sat back thinking how great it is that they were losing; some managers might, but I wasn’t. It’s my life, my friends’ lives, my family’s life. We all want the club to succeed.”
This exemplifies the “unparalleled understanding” of Sheffield United that Chris Wilder possesses that the board mentioned. Wilder simply gets it, and no other manager can match him on that front.
The players downed tools for Ruben Selles, they won’t do that again
His passionate, heartfelt first words will surely have got the Sheffield United fans feeling positive about the future. Now, Chris Wilder needs to do the same for the players.
Judging by the reaction of Sheffield United players when meeting Wilder this week, the majority of them are delighted he’s back and are ready to fight for their manager.
There will always be winners and losers when it comes to Wilder’s return, but there’s no denying that the vast majority of that squad never even began to work for Ruben Selles. With Wilder, they will either work or leave. He’s not a manager to put up with bad attitudes or poor work ethic, and he will make that known from the get-go.
It’ll be fascinating now to see how quickly things turn around. Wilder is not a miracle worker, but he has the man-management and motivation skills to get the best out of these players and give them the kick they need.