Why Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder says Premier League should not have had a break

Sheffield United’s players are refreshed and ready to go for Saturday’s Premier League game against Brighton and Hove Albion, but manager Chris Wilder says he would have preferred not to have a break at all.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder: 'The fans didn't go on holiday.'Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder: 'The fans didn't go on holiday.'
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder: 'The fans didn't go on holiday.'

Although new signing Richairo Zivkovic did not need a rest, having not played since November, the striker thinks the pause has come at a good time as he looks to integrate with new team-mates.

For the first time, England’s top-flight clubs were given time off in mid-season to recuperate after a gruelling mid-winter.

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Twelve Premier League clubs took the second weekend of February off, while the rest, including the Blades, sat out last weekend’s fixtures.

Wilder’s men had some time off, then warm weather training in Dubai, where summer transfer window plans were made with owner Prince Abdullah and chief executive Stephen Bettis.

The manager, though, would have preferred it had the teams followed the lead of the Football League and continued playing, testing endurance as well as skills.

“I’d have liked to have carried on,” admitted Wilder. “There have been different views on it.

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“The game has changed, I understand that, but it is the challenge to overcome nine months through different conditions and hurdles and situations. The majority of clubs will have trained, some will have given their players days off but for me I could have done without it.

“I think we should have gone straight through. The fans did not go off on holiday and they keep the division going. I might being going against popular opinion on that but I’d have no issues with going through, having a 38-game season through different tests each team has to overcome.

“Our trip to Dubai was not a jolly-up. They get some rest and recovery but they trained as well, and now we’re back in to prep for Brighton.”

Zivkovic, 23, joined on loan from Changchun Yatai in the Chinese League, whose 2019 season ended on November 2. He signed on January 31, but is yet to make his Blades debut.

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For Zivkovic and fellow new signings Sander Berge and Panagiotis Retsos, Dubai offered a chance to get to bond with their new team-mates.

“It’s a great opportunity to know the guys better on and off the field, for team building it is perfect,” he said.