Sheffield United v QPR: Chris Wilder on inspiration from Sir Alex Ferguson in his second Blades mission

What truly made him stand out from the rest in a managerial sense was his ability to construct different high-achieving squads and consistently deliver success.

Granted, Chris Wilder will never be able to go anywhere near replicating that level of attainment at his beloved Bramall Lane. Perish the thought.

But having that same skillset to successfully overhaul the playing side of a club - several times over in Ferguson’s case at Manchester United - and possess the vision of where a club is at in a rebuilding process is something he is striving to follow from the doyen of club management.

A deep understanding of player life-cycles and the innate ability to know when to refresh is something that the Sheffield United manager has grasped the importance of from Ferguson.

He is intent upon doing something about it across the Pennines at Bramall Lane as he builds a new side in his own image.

Very good managers create one special side, the best ones do it more than once. Should Wilder do that at S2, his place in the pantheon of great United leaders will be assured.

His rebuilding mission with United has only just begun, with two pieces of the jigsaw having arrived in the working week in goalkeeper Michael Cooper and loan winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.

More work remains, much more work as Wilder sets up building another feted Blades side to be reckoned with. It’s very early days, but the signs look promising, partway through a revamp which saw 16 players leave in the summer following relegation from the Premier League.

Wilder, whose side have started the campaign with strong performances and victories in league and cup against Preston and Wrexham, said: “In time, usually the manager goes and the players stay or the manager has that ability and opportunity to change around and refresh the group.

"Sir Alex Ferguson was an absolute master at it and that’s why he had such longevity.

"I am not so sure we are going to get to the likes of managers staying at a club for 20 or 25 years like (Arsene) Wenger and Sir Alex did, but what he did was that he knew the timing and ‘sweet spot’ to change it around, flip it over and refresh. Players he wanted to work with and players went out of the door.

"We’ve talked at length about those players who went out of the doors who were fabulous servants for Sheffield United, but we move on.

"We’re so delighted and enthusiastic to work with these younger players and even the young players coming through the academy, while knowing there’s the likes of (Jack) Robinson and the Kieffer Moores and (Harry) Souttars of this world.

"That mix is really important for us to be successful.”

While freshening up a side in terms of profile, attitude, freshness and age is imperative in building any successful new era, those who coordinate it must retain that same sense of vigour and appetite themselves.

Wilder’s demeanour in his second coming at the club he loves - he recently said in a radio interview that he would like to stay for rest of his managerial career – suggests he has it in spades.

Reappointed in December, it is only now that he can start fashioning another side in his own image, in earnest.

On the importance of coaching staff - and not just players - staying ‘fresh’, he continued: “Yes, it’s important, but I am not bringing in players for myself, but players that are going to benefit the future of the football club, right here, right now and going forward.

"That’s what you need to do at times and everyone recognised and realised it as well.

"It had to happen, needed to happen and has happened. Now, I genuinely feel a buzz about the place and inside here and an enjoyment of working with the players and freshness.

"We are not anywhere near where we want to be, but we’ve shown good signs off the pitch as well as on it.”

Following the arrival of Rak-Sakyi, the number of summer signings at Bramall Lane since early July is now into double figures.

Wilder would like to bring in a couple more yet, yet is equally mindful of contingencies should any of their leading players depart. Earlier this week, Gus Hamer was linked with a move to Ipswich Town.

That’s the art of management and part of any reconstruction job too.

"You never know. But we’re ready,” Wilder added.

"Part of Jamie (Hoyland) and Mikey’s (Mike Allen - head of recruitment) job is to cover that off as well. If that does happen, we will deal with it.

"I don’t want to lose anybody, but if we do, we have to cover it off with quality and experience and a like for like replacements, in my opinion and hopefully we will be able to do that.”