Weir admits to difficult start to Blades job

“The job is more difficult (than I thought it was), because results have been difficult,” he said.

Coming from the relative saftey of Everton’s coaching set-up, Weir has stayed calm and true to his principles despite a terrible run of results. Since United’s opening-day win over Notts County, the Blades have failed to win another match apart from their penalty shoot-out success over Scunthorpe United in the JPT.

Even so, 43-year-old Weir is loving the job, and challenge, of turning around the Blades’ fortunes.

“The job in itself, in regards being out on the training field and doing that is fantastic, I have loved that,” he said.

“The players have been great in regards doing what we have asked them to do and buying into what we want them to do.

“We have put in place a lot of things, on and off the field, that I think will help Sheffield United moving forward. That’s important to us.

“We spoke about that when I got the job, about putting things in place that will help Sheffield United be a successful football club and get us back to where we want to be.

“We are doing that. But ultimately fans want results, managers want results, and that’s what you are judged on.

“The job is all-encompassing, it takes up all your time, but I love it, genuinely love it.

“You do learn things about yourself, primarily, and others when you are losing.

“But being honest, the vast majority of things I have learned have been positive – about people, the players and ourselves – and I think in time that will stand us in good stead.

“It has been difficult times in the last few weeks, there is no getting away from that, but what doesn’t break you makes you stronger.

“There has been lots of changes. That’s factual, not making excuses. Me coming in as manager, the style of play, the players. There’s a lot of things that have changed and that was never going to gel straightaway.

“We need to make it happen as quickly as we can for obvious reasons. But we also need to make something happen that will be set in stone for a period of time that’s going to enable us to get to where we want to be.”