Wilder back at Sheffield United and Yorkshire strength in League One

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1:25Hello and welcome to the Game Football Podcast from The Times. This is our EFL Extra Show. Every two weeks you've got me, Tom Clark, and the former football league legend Gregor Robertson dissecting the best and worst from the Championship League One and League Two. On today's show we've got loads and loads of football to discuss, but we start Gregor with probably one of the most bonkers stories of the season so far. Chris Wilder back at Sheffield United. Back again. How many times is this now? Three, five, ten? God goodness knows. Three as manager, two as a player, yeah. Absolutely crackers. I mean, we talked about Ruben Seles being under pressure.

2:03Even in pre-season you flagged this as a kind of big move for Sheffield United, a big departure from the kind of Chris Wilder way of doing things. Sele's being beaten by Ipswich Town last Friday 5-0 that was the end for him but for Wilder to be back already this is the guy that took them all the way to the Championship Playoff Final to the brink of the Premier League a late goal from Sunderland away from taking them to the Premier League in another world Chris Wilder would have Sheffield United in the Premier League right now, since then he's been sacked and he's now back in charge it's bonkers it's bonkers right?

2:41Yeah, we're trying to think of a parallel. I can't really think of many managers who've returned to a club that have just been sacked from within the space of a couple of months. Yeah, extraordinary. And Wildey even admitted that as much in his press conference this week. He says it's a bit of a unique situation. He was asked if it was another club, might he have told them to do one? And he was like, quite possibly. But as we all know, that it's a club that's very close to his heart. He supports the club. He always talks about his pals down the pub and stuff who support them as well and who he's also kind of working for, if you like.

3:26So he wants to go back and help out and probably show the owners that they made a massive mistake. And we should also say possibly, although they tried to make a massive step change and the way the club is run and coached and the type of football they play, the way they recruit. There's been a lot made in reports about the way they want to use artificial intelligence in their recruitment. I think one of the consortium has quite a big stake in that sort of line of business. But all the players that they've signed, you can tell kind of using the artificial intelligence and analysis have been flops so far none of them have made an impact and then you almost saw we discussed this in the last episode you almost saw them before the transfer window closed realising that this is a disaster and sort of pivoting to more traditional signing Danny Ings and Ben Mee and you know some more established names which now Chris Wilder's back you go oh it makes sense now well I think you you'll appreciate like you could look at it two ways you'll look and think you've torn my squad apart you know we sold Anil Amitodzic sold Vinny Souza sold Kiefer Moore that's kind of spine of the team shipped out Jack Robinson who's been a big big player for them experienced player and then as I said they signed quite a lot of players who were sort of you know from Bulgaria and what not who have done nothing realised that they've made an error there and then they have done some good business Jaffer Tanganga is a good signing you know I think me and Ings could be you still look at you still look at Jeffield United's team and their squad their squad and think you know Tyrese Campbell was on the bench in this game Gus Hamer was on the bench in this game he's probably the best player in the division this game against Sipswich that I'm talking about they've still got a squad that should although they're starting at a massive deficit now Wilders should be able to get them competing at the right end of the table maybe not like automatic but I think they should still be within a shout of the playoffs but I mean strange things have happened in the championship I remember I think Roy Keane took over Sunderland with them basically bottom or near the bottom and got them or maybe that was the league below I can't remember maybe it was the championship wasn't it I think yeah and got them promoted obviously a huge huge ask as you say Sheffield United currently bottom no points just one goal scored and 12 conceded but as you say there he's going to make them competitive very quickly isn't he as a manager that you played for that's part of what changes immediately right?

6:13Yeah he's still you know he's still chorting out the same lines like it's not old school it's right school so he says at the press he's unveiling he's like they're not running if you look at the stats and he's got you know he's got data to back up if you look at the stats they're down the bottom for you know how far they're running sprints all the kind of physical data they're losing more jewels than they're winning like these are things that Chris Wilder for Chris Wilder are fundamentals that are starting point he used to say in the changing room before every game when you're when you're races when you're headers when you're tackles that was like one of his lines he trotted out all the time and I know he still does it so like you'd be very surprised if you do not see that from Sheffield United as a starting point very very soon and then once you've got that and like a bit of clarity a bit probably a bit more in midfield a big kind of one of the sellers as his big downfalls has been leaving Sheffield United woefully exposed in midfield like Saidi Peck who has had a bit of a drop off and he's not really been playing alongside anyone of any stature they signed Matos a little bit from Chelsea young player You want to get Hamer in there don't you as well like Gustavo Hamer He's got to get him in the team yeah so like yeah I'd be surprised if Sheffield United are not climbing the table very quickly and personally I'd be surprised if they're not competing for the playoffs I think Do you think they've got so we're talking about that squad and we talked about the players they've added you know Ings and me but then they have still got a lot of talented young players and we don't want to box off Chris Wilder's you know old school right school all that kind of stuff you know they played some really exciting stuff at times last season under Wilder as they're headed towards what looked like automatic promotion and just only just faltered near the end do you think they've got the squad when you will you know and we're going to come on to the teams that have started well have they got on paper one of the better squads in the league do you think yeah like top six yeah I mean there has been a lot of churn there's no two ways about that and you know Tanganga's really good McGuinness has had a difficult time when he joined joined Luton joined Luton for 10 million Cooper's not had a good season so far and he was the best goalkeeper probably the best goalkeeper in the league last year Burrows had a bit of a drop off Ben Godfrey's not a great start I mean crikey how many times did you want to see Jadon Filagene just cut inside and shoot and have no one like in the vicinity I still got Calum O 'Hare Louis Barry should be a good player like should be a good player for the level he's still not really kind of let up the championship as we think a lot of people believe he can yeah they undoubtedly have have a squad that's good enough Tyrese Campbell-Cannon who they signed for a lot of money still not really done it for Sheffield United yet but Chris Welder signed him Calum O 'Hare yeah undoubtedly they have the players Chris Wilder will kind of lift the mood again yeah the perfect start for him as well a home game who Ruben Selle is though well I was going to come up to him I don't think you can say this is his fault like he's been but it was an odd appointment for everyone involved I think there's an element of you know we talk sometimes about clubs making appointments of managers and going what have you picked him for the manager picks a club as well and as much as I'm surely been tempted by the opportunity after being at Hull last season and doing good things at Reading anyone who replaces Chris Wilder at Sheffield United has got a big job on their hands because as you said in pre-season he's so synonymous with the club as he's proved by going back Yeah and it's it wasn't just a sort of change in the way that Sheffield United were going to play and you know the way they were going to be coached and the sort of style of football and stuff it was everything it's the way that they were recruiting it was like it was a massive step change and to get the buy-in from the players is the first thing players of a core of whom have been with Chris Welder for a long long time through ups and downs but also it just smacked of the owners trying to do too much too soon and it's not just because of what came before it's the fact that as you say they were within 15 minutes of the Premier League last season, there was no reason to sack Chris Welder like whether you want to change things in the fullness of time or not they only completed their takeover in December that was an incredibly bold move and it was a hard one for Sellers to sort of navigate it didn't help that opening game of the season they were smashed 4-1 by Bristol City smashed is too much they were very efficient in front of Bristol City but that was the team that they hammered in the playoffs semi-final last season and Sellers was giving them the old Phil Brown on the pitch afterwards pointing his fingers and stuff so that wasn't a good start from an optics point of view But he'll be back won't he, I think he's still a talented coach who's proven that even before this and almost in some ways there's this strange thing of where because Wilder's gone back and because he's been sacked so quickly it maybe doesn't tarnish him as much it's just kind of seen as an oddity and maybe he benefits more than if he'd stayed until November and stuff and it's still grinding away 5 points from 12 games or whatever I agree I'd be surprised if he's not in a job before Christmas like people will look at that and think yeah it was a tough job to walk into and look at his body of work before that I mean the whole I think he did a good job at Hull and like all I've made changes before in the past like Liam Rossini for example and not you know it's been seen viewed as a mistake in hindsight I think that was that was very harsh and he did an extraordinary job at Reading so yeah like that was the first second we've since had a second second doesn't take long to get into second season and Ruben Sellers is a name who will be linked with a lot of jobs soon Definitely as we say a huge huge story though at Sheffield United lots of people getting in touch we had Adam emailing in with his views on the Chris Wilder situation so Adam I hope we've covered off some of the thoughts that you shared with us as well loads of people commenting below the line on the Times website Stephen Reeves summing it up nicely talking about Chris Wilder shows a loyalty to a club he loves for which he cannot be faulted.

12:22Rare to see in football these days. Good luck to him. We'll see what Chris Wilder can do immediately back at Sheffield United with a home game against Charlton at the weekend. Greg, you talked about some of the teams that have started well. Let's just recap where we're at in the Championship table. Middlesbrough are still top. We talked about them on the last show with 13 points. Stoke just behind them. We've also discussed them so far this season with 12. Bristol City aside, you've just mentioned there with that good start on 11. Then Leicester, West Brom and Coventry filling in the playoff places just behind them.

12:54Middlesbrough, Gregor, are getting a result at the weekend. A 2-2 draw late on against Preston. They've conceded a late goal. It looked like Preston were going to get a win. Middlesbrough come back. We've just recorded very recently the show with the guys talking about Liverpool and late goals and what does it mean? Does it show frailty or does it show an ability to keep going? I'd say in this case, maybe it suggests that Rob Edwards has got Middlesbrough believing that they are a big side and a top side. yeah I would say so I'm impressed enough they had a decent start to the season as well they've been very gritty particularly currently in 8th place particularly at Deepdale yeah there's a lot to like about Middlesbrough so far they're not like they're not I said this in the last show they're not creating bags and bags of chances they've had to be quite efficient in front of goals so I think that I'll probably have to improve but they've got a kind of solid really really solid back bonus you know a bit of an anomaly of them conceding a couple of goals in this game but with Ayling and Linehan and Jones Morris and Hackney in front of them it's like a really really solid base and I think Matt Targa could be one of the signings of the season because sometimes sometimes an opportunity So it's the left backs union coming out here honestly No I mean he's a he's got to think of an assist in his first game he's got a goal in this one like he's too good for the championship he's one of them who's like he's he's been at Newcastle and there have been players in front of him he's not been able to get in the team up very frequently but I think he is too good for the Championship and it's like one of them sometimes where an opportunity just arises even it's like location part of the country you see someone who's available who's like of Premier League standard quality and they can get him I think it can be a huge influence for them throughout the season so it's been very positive and like really interesting too that for Rob Edwards too I mean it's another one where you know we would have had the same conversation about Ruben Seles just a minute ago the way that I ended at Luton I think a lot of people at Luton getting this job at Borough and thought he's maybe a bit fortunate, it's a good job club that's always got ambitions to be winning promotion club that's kind of synonymous with an owner that's in there for the long haul and is back to club financially and in every way you could imagine it was a great opportunity and so far he's taken it and it's also really interesting too that ADV Vash has gone up there from Coventry after splitting with Mark Robbins and like it's whether his influence has been his telly in there already and also on the flip side that Mark Robbins seems to be doing really well on his own at Stoke still keeping it going a 1-0 win at the weekend against Birmingham as I say they're sitting second in the league there's kind of a slight I'm very conscious that listeners might be thinking there's a tone to my voice where I'm going I don't believe either of them are going to last.

15:48But I mean, there's the three teams at the top of the championship who I don't think... Bristol City did well last season in getting into the playoffs, but I don't think anyone would necessarily have had Middlesbrough, Stoke and Bristol City near the top of the table in their predicted leagues. I know it's impossible to predict the championship, but, you know, it's very early days, five games, but... Do we think they can keep it going? I mean, the thing to say about Stoke is their forward line looks brilliant. Like Mbama looks like he could be a star. He's not really had, he's on loan from Manchester City, came through at West Ham.

16:26He's not really had a run of games, so if he can do it for the whole season, then they've got a chance. And Manov as well, Manov, he's flattered to deceive in the past, but he's started the season brilliantly. And Sorbo Thomas looks in great shape as well. And they've got a left back in Aaron Creswell who's probably too good for the championship. Maybe, yeah. Maybe that's the thing. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, I think it'd be, I probably wouldn't say that Stoke and Grimmie challenging for automatic promotion. I'd probably say the same of Middlesbrough, actually. I think ultimately the parachute payment clubs will come to the fore.

17:04I think that result for Ipswich was kind of like catalyzed the start of their season. That was a little bit like, yeah, we are as good as you all thought we would be at the start of the season. And there'd been a lot of, it's often the case there's always a lot of uncertainty about the squad and what it's going to look like until the transfer window closes in terms of who they're going to sell because often they've got players who are Premier League quality and a lot of teams are interested in and also in Ipswich's case they've still got a lot of money to invest in their squad so now that things the dust has settled a bit I think we could expect Ipswich to climb the table I think Southampton that the same is probably true of although that's not not a brilliant start and then Leicester up to fourth and they don't really look like they've really even hit fourth gear yet Yeah up to fourth with it even though they got a draw away at Oxford some really intriguing fixtures to come this weekend Middlesbrough against West Brom on Friday night Birmingham looking to bounce back from that defeat against Stoke against Swansea and then as you say Leicester playing against Coventry have had a great start to the season and that match at Sheffield United at home against Charlton loads and loads of exciting stuff in the Championship this weekend.

18:16We're going to take a little break and I'm going to test Gregor Robertson's knowledge with another question from Bill Edgar's quiz that you can take part in on the Times website. Now, when Tottenham, this is tricky this one, when Tottenham took part in the 1995 Intertoto Cup, they played home matches at the Goldstone ground, Brighton's home at the time. Which other Premier League club, now in the Football League, played Intertoto Cup home matches at the same venue that summer? Find out after the break.

19:11We'll see you next time. Their program is designed to make weight loss a smooth ride, helping you understand what drives you, so you can build better habits to not just lose weight, but keep it off. Noom. Lose for keeps. Get started at Noom.com. Not all customers will clinically qualify for medications. Individual results may vary. Here's a tip for you. There's a podcast out there with fans waiting to be your next customer. They tune in every week, they trust the host, and that host wants to talk about brands like yours in their own words to their audience. The problem is, you just haven't been introduced yet.

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20:18Welcome back to the Game Football Podcast from The Times. This is our EFL Extra Show with me, Tom Clark, and the former football league legend, Gregor Robertson. A bit flummoxed by the quiz questions this week, Gregor. You did get the answer in the end, just the options were. listeners if you want to have a crack at this which other club Premier League club now in the Football League played in the Intertoto Cup games at Brighton Stadium in 1995 the options were Wimbledon Coventry West Ham and Southampton and Gregor the answer was Wimbledon although if I'd be really pernickety are Wimbledon the same club Tom?

20:50Alright they've got the same name they've got the same name let's be honest just before you write in Wimbledon fans AFC Wimbledon fans I feel that you are in spirit I'll be honest I worked in the now in the Football League bit for the sake of this show just to legitimise the question Wimbledon fans just before you get upset just wanted to publicise that there's a good fun quiz by Bill Edgar on the Times website and I just wanted to ask Gregor Robertson a question and I just wanted to try and link the two let's all be friends we can all keep keep on side on this one I think Gregor we're into League 1 now and I've got some exciting news I always like it when I get to do breaking news breaking news it's breaking news on a podcast which is pre-recorded comes out all the time sometimes we miss it and we walk out the studio and then 10 minutes later something big happens when it comes to League One this is a big news story League One side Wickham Wanderers have sacked head coach Mike Dodds Dodds oversaw five defeats and just one win from eight league games this season he replaced Matt Bloomfield halfway through last season when Wickham obviously had been in contention for automatic promotion and dropped down into the playoffs where they lost against Charlton who ended up getting promoted themselves seven months in charge Wickham only won nine wins in 31 games under Dodds I'm not saying that this is a huge shock Gregor but it's a punchy move from Wickham this season you would say yeah I mean the thing is I was at the game before I think it was the last game of the season or second last game of the season against Leighton Orient and the fans had turned against Mike Dodds already clearly they were on such an upwards curve under Matt Bloomfield who's like you know a club legend the ultimate legend absolute one club legend although there was a brief spell at Ipswich and Mike Dodds that's another case of whoever replaces him it's going to be a tough task they were up the top of the league and you know replacing a club legend and they kind of petered away and just stumbled into the into the playoffs last season and sorry did they make the playoffs?

22:56yeah yeah Wickham did yeah they got beaten by Charlton sorry my mind's gone there because the Leighton Orient beat them and then they got no Leighton Orient beat Stockport they beat Charlton beat them that's what I just said you know the game I was at yeah I was to guarantee I was in sorry they kind of stumbled into the playoffs last season and and then it's so important to kind of to make the make the point that they are now one of the most ambitious clubs like outside outside the top two tiers because they have a a billionaire owner called Mikhail Lamtadzi who's from Kazakhstan you know there's been a change in the way the club was run since he took over like moved their academy to north west London to kind of increase the catchment area focus on data and some sort of slightly unusual recruitment for league one so it's another one that's a bit of a sort of experimental club for the level

24:04Mike Dodds just never really hit it off with the fans he's a coach who's got a really good reputation as a coach and clearly as we always point out has a very big association with one Jude Bellingham because he's played such a prominent role in his rise at Birmingham City went to Sunderland as well with as part of Christian Speakman's sort of remit there and he had a brief spell as interim manager there. But he's not really been a number one and he didn't really strike you as sort of having number one vibes. And I think the fans sort of sensed that. So it'd be interesting to see... Number one vibes is such a great way of putting it because I think every listener will be like, yeah, I know exactly what you mean.

24:50Yeah, he seems like a really nice guy. Yeah, nice guy, good coach, not a number one. do you know what I've just realised as well after recording that first half of the show and then slaloming into this Ruben Sellers Wickham you said he'd be back in a job by Christmas you could see it happening a manager who did well in League One points approved not impossible I don't know I mean would Sellers maybe have his eyes set on something a little bit higher but Wickham as you said have got ambitions to be higher they do so marrying up the two things maybe listen producer Neil click that up for next time see if I'm right about that one when I get back from my holidays Greg, let's talk about some of the teams doing well in League One.

25:27Bradford City, we've talked about them already on the show this season. What a fantastic start they have had. A 3-1 win in a Yorkshire derby against Huddersfield at the weekend to keep them flying high near the top of the table. Again, we're showing our stupidity in making predictions at the start of the season. I don't think anyone saw this coming. No, but I think Graham Alexander is a really good manager. I think he's I've said before he's not the most fashionable and he admits that he's disheartedly discussed that I remember speaking about that with him in an interview once and he's just totally you know unequivocal about the fact that he just wants to play football that wins you know he's not bothered about style and you're seeing a really really hard working kind of relentless team in Bradford and powered on by an extraordinary sort of home fan base 24 ,000 fans at this game but that's not just for a West Yorkshire derby like they are getting ridiculous crowds for League One and that is a huge power and huge force I loved playing it Yeah Really interesting you say that because I'm just looking at the stats for this weekend they've got a huge game against Cardiff top of the table Clash you're just looking at the stats behind there striker Bobby Pointer who scored five goals top scorer in League One this season but all of them have come at home Yeah All of them at home and I'm not suggesting that he can't do it away or anything like that I hope he scores a hat trick and proves us all wrong but it's just an interesting stat to your point about the power of Valley Parade and at Bradford's home ground and you know it's a cliche to say in a lot of the top leagues but for any League 1 side and player going and playing against 24 ,000 fans it makes a huge difference surely but you were saying you love playing there yeah I did I mean players react differently to that some were kind of you know this is a big stage and others kind of relish it with a year on the home you're a big man aren't you I did that I relished it there wasn't always 24 ,000 that was there it was maybe League 2 but it's a great place to play football great kind of steep stand curved on one side brilliant, it's a great place to play football but they're more than that they're also really in your face front foot, aggressive high pressing I saw Raym Alexander speaking about Max Power's influence over this team that seemed like a kind of an interesting sign and he'd been in Saudi Arabia he'd been in Denmark, he'd been away from the English football for a while and you know we get on a little bit but he's, Graham Alexander was using words like effervescence and like you know the energy that he sort of exudes and the driving force he's been for that team, he's also created more chances than anyone in League 1, 16 chances that's just not something you immediately associate with Max Pover and then Poynton's been a star yeah you know, there's some debate about whether he got a hat-trick in this game he's tried to claim tried to claim I think it was Neufill's cross yeah said it kind of cross come shot and said it clipped his knee but it's not easy to see that on the TV bad news Bobby lad he's gone down as a Neufill goal I'll be honest it's not a hat trick I also enjoyed his sort of you know his celebrations in front of the Huddersfield fans he's like he seems he's got a bit of swagger yeah but it's very easy to do when you've got 24 ,000 behind you that's very easy what is he 21, 22 let's see if he can do it away against Cardiff this weekend yeah that's a massive game huge huge game huge hugely exciting in Cardiff making a great start to the season.

28:49It's a very Yorkshire dominant top half of the league. One with Barnsley in there as well. Doncaster and Huddersfield completing the playoff places. A little team called Lincoln City just outside of the playoff zone. I'm going on Saturday. Can't avoid it, can you? I'm going on Saturday. I'm excited. I'm excited. Luton at home, almost certainly nil-nil. Put your bets on now, listeners. I can guarantee it. Let's finish with a quick look at League 2, Gregor. Gillingham, still up there. my only good prediction of the pre-season preview saying that Gillingham and Gareth Ainsworth would be near the promotion contention on 18 points along with Swindon who are currently top performing absolutely brilliantly scored 17 goals already but have shipped 10 so I mean it's exciting to be a Swindon fan it is yes and it's a I mean just been an extraordinary run since you know that we got the job he's retired he's like Neil Warnock he's retired about 15 times and said he's never coming back and the way it ended at Grimsby wasn't good he's not remembered very fondly there but he's only lost 8 of 47 league games and that's a team that were hovering above the relegation zone when he got the job and powered through in the second half of the season and have started with the left off won 4 in a row 6 of their 8 games as you said 17 goals like the goals at the weekend they were this was a come from behind win as well and Drinan's in great form up front the second goal was a beautiful move down the left wonderful interplay and Drinan was just the man on the spot but his second Swindon's third was like a fantastic finish like dropped deep into a little pocket space number 10 sort of area moved it moved it inside onto his right foot and beautiful curl shot onto the far corner like he's not someone who's scored bags and bags of goals at all the clubs he's been at he was Illinois and he's not didn't have a you know wasn't prolific but he started the season brilliantly and you know if you look at all the underlying data and stuff as well they're you know they're not they're not firing hot they're creating lots of chances getting lots of touches in the box loads and loads of shots so exciting times for Swindon.

31:17Yeah and they've got a trip to Salford City at the weekend who are in third, a good start to the season from them Walsall in fourth, the team I think every listener to this podcast will want to do well if you're a neutral fan after last season's heartbreak three wins and a draw in the last couple of games, a good start to the season from them. If you're off to a game this weekend I hope your trains run on time, I hope the pints are delicious and the half time pies are nice and warm and maybe you pick up a couple of points along the way. Gregor Robertson, thank you very much for joining me. Thank you too for listening.

31:46As I say, we'll be back with the regular show on Monday and we'll be back with another EFL show very soon. We'll see you then.

32:00Here's a tip for you. There's a podcast out there with fans waiting to be your next customer. They tune in every week, they trust the host, And that host wants to talk about brands like yours in their own words to their audience. The problem is you just haven't been introduced yet. We're Acast, where that introduction happens. As the world's largest podcast marketplace, we let you browse shows, see who's listening, and book host-read sponsorships or run your own ads all from one platform. Transparent pricing, real-time data, complete control. Start advertising on podcasts by visiting acast.com slash advertise.