Sheffield United: ‘This week’s tough for me, not anyone else’ says Paul Heckingbottom after positive Covid-19 test

The Sheffield United manager tested positive in a routine voluntary extra test after the Wolverhampton Wanderers game and must isolate for seven days because the law change to five days only comes in on Monday.

He will miss Saturday’s Championship trip to Derby County, but not Tuesday’s to Preston North End if he returns negative tests at the end of this week.

But with an extremely experienced assistant in Stuart McCall his biggest challenge will be not muddying the waters by interfering too much during the match.

“Macca’s managed more games than me (490 to 171) and more clubs (that is actually 4-4), some real big clubs as well,” pointed out Heckingbottom.

“This week’s tough for me, not anyone else. The staff are great, the players are fine and motivated, they can’t wait to get started.

“I’m just trying to prepare for Saturday because when I’ve been in the stands and unable to be on the touchline they’ve been the worst games of my career.

“Macca has the experience to deliver the message however he wants. He’s got to be in control at the side of the pitch, I don’t want to contradict that.

“I might not be able to make subs or be as pro-active to influence in-game things but I have to get my head around that or it can get really messy and I can be on the phone (constantly) so we’re going to chat about it, what they need and want from me on Friday and Saturday – what the input’s like from me, what input I need from the staff, the help I can give from getting the team-sheet in until kick-off, because that’s an important time, and half-time.

“We’ll go through the whole thing step by step.”

Heckingbottom has not spoken to Robin Olsen about speculation Roma could recall the Sweden goalkeeper from his loan to send him to Premier League Aston Villa. He said Olsen would only go if the Blades found a replacement “because it’s in our hands” referring to the loan terms.

He also said the club was not in a position where players had to leave before any could arrive.

John Egan, Enda Stevens, Oli McBurnie and Jack Robinson are back in training, with Olsen, John Fleck and George Baldock thought to be about a week away.