Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder already has Premier League pre-season plans in place

Plans are being finalised for warm-up friendlies as the Blades gear up for a September 12 restart, and manager Chris Wilder will take his team abroad for perhaps two, with work underway to ensure fans will be able to watch the behind-closed-doors matches over the internet.

Whilst some might argue that having gone more than 100 days without playing during the coronavirus pandemic, the players should not need much of a break, Wilder believes he and they still need some time to switch off mentally after an exhilarating but draining campaign.

“We’re all sorted for pre-season, we’re still in a situation where things can change but hopefully they don’t and we’re on the right path to normality,” said the Blades manager. “Normality involves pre-season games, maybe a trip away. That’s all being nailed down and finalised, I should imagine that’ll be announced in due course.

“It’s not really been difficult to arrange those plans. It’s a shortened pre-season, a shortened break for the players, shortened (transfer) window... I’m quite positive about those start dates when we can get back working, (I’m) always anxious to get back to work and crack on and organise yourself for the season ahead.”

The 2019-20 campaign only ended on Sunday, the latest an English season has come to a close, and for those involved in European competitions, it still has the best part of a month to run.

But although matches were suspended for the covid-19 pandemic, it did not offer much of a break. For a long time, it was unclear when games would restart, and, as a result, Sheffield United’s players were given strict and demanding training regimes to follow in lockdown. Having been so long without football, they need a mini “pre-season” of sorts within the protocols, then played 11 games in 39 days.

A small squad looked understandably weary by the end after some high-pressure matches saw them finish ninth in the Premier League.

The club also needs to make transfers with Wilder determined to upgrade his squad for next season despite his budget inevitably being hit by the financial impact.

Goalkeeper Wes Foderingham has already joined and the club are targeting John Swift, an attacking midfielder who could be a long-term replacement for John Lundstram if the latter does not take up the offer to extend a contract in its final 12 months.

When asked if the club needed much of a pre-season, Wilder replied: “No, but I think everyone needs to get away from it from a mentality point of view.

“It won’t be much for me but I’m comfortable with that.

“The players understand now from a physical aspect in the Premier League, the distances covered, the high-intensity sprints, the physical condition they have to be in now, there’s a huge responsibility on them to come back in good shape, especially with the shortened period.

“They need to hit the ground running.

“They have to take the responsibility, which I’m sure they will do.

“I’ll take a little break but there are always things happening and you can’t get away from it.

“It doesn’t really leave you at any moment. Some people handle it differently and turn the phone off for a week, I try to do that a little bit but it’s still with me right the way through.

“I definitely need a little bit of a break and a couple of beers but it’s in you to go again, it’s the relentless nature of the job and the attitude that has to come with it.”

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