Billy Sharp confident Sheffield United can become screen stars

With a squad of players largely experiencing Premier League football for the first time, many of whom have shown their drive by recovering from rejections earlier in their career, and led by a manager as demanding as Chris Wilder, the Blades’ work-rate has only magnified their under-estimated technical abilities.

Unsurprisingly, given the amounts spent on the respective squads, if it purely came down to their talent on the ball, the Blades would not be sat above the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in the table, but there is more to them than just that.

Maintaining that drive training alone without a resumption date to work towards, and most likely without fans providing an extra edge in the stadia when English football does emerge from its coronavirus hibernation will not be easy, but if captain Billy Sharp’s biggest concern is manager Chris Wilder minding his language, it cannot be that bad.

Having “climbed to the top of the mountain” in Wilder’s words, and with a first season in Europe up for grabs, it is important that in body and mind, the Blades are able to remain ahead of their rivals if and when the season resumes.

“When you leave for the summer you have a date to get back, for this you just have to keep working hard,” says Sharp. “We’ve just got to be ready for the day we do come back.

“Some clubs might be weeks behind, we have to make sure we’re in the best condition physically and mentally. We just have to do that for however long that takes.

“It (the enforced break from football) is certainly not like the summer, because I would be on the beach or diving in the pool! Mentally, it’s been about trying to keep in a routine.

“Home-schooling with the kids gives a bit of structure to the day and I am trying to eat healthily, the missus has been doing a lot of baking. It’s been nice but I’d prefer to be on a football pitch with the world in a better place.

“To help a seven-year-old and a four-year-old not be bored is tough at times, they’ve had their meltdowns which all kids do, but it’s part and parcel of the situation we’re going through.”

Wilder thinks two or three weeks’ training should suffice to get his players match-ready.

“There are different movements that players need to get up to speed with, striking a ball and different movements that we do in pre-season,” he explained. “But let’s not be soft on the players, they’re robust and have all kept fit, and if they haven’t they need to look at themselves. Everyone needs to be ready to play their part. My players have climbed to the top of the mountain and won’t all of a sudden think they’ve made it.

“We know how they are and what they’re thinking, and we know from a physical point of view where they are as well. It might take a game or two to get them going but we’re all in the same boat.”

On the Continent, some of the last matches before the shutdown were played behind closed doors. Managers including Wilder said at the time it was not something they wanted to see in the Premier League but there is a growing acceptance it will be a price worth paying. Sharp, like his manager, is now of that view.

“Football’s about the fans,” he said. “Scoring goals, you get the emotion from the atmosphere in the stadium. It will be weird but it’s going to be the same for both sides so we’ve got to adapt quickly.

“I’m sure the gaffer will struggle not to swear as much because you can hear it a lot clearer without the fans!

“We’re going to have a responsibility to make a good account of ourselves because a lot of people are going to be watching behind their TV screens. We’re still going to have to set a good example, try and express ourselves and hopefully put smiles on people’s faces.

“It will be a lot better playing behind closed doors than not at all, that’s for sure.”

Sharp and Wilder have both spoken about how the return of live sport can be good for the morale of the country, and matches played behind closed doors are likely to be made widely available to fans staying at home. But with his team seventh in the Premier League with 10 matches to play, Sharp says the result of games will be more important than the style of football – not that the Blades could be accused of being negative normally.

“It won’t just be football, it’s sport all-round,” said Sharp. “It is just a game but football, basketball, rugby, golf, tennis, whatever make so many people happy, they put smiles on people’s faces.

“I think our fans would be happy with us winning. We do try and entertain and play the football they want to see but just to be out there will be a relief and put a smile on faces, they want to be in stadium with us but if not safe next best thing is watching on TV until we’re told otherwise.”

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