Sheffield United made it two promotions in three seasons when they clinched second spot in the 2018/19 Championship campaign – ultimately pipping Leeds United to the last automatic spot – and manager Chris Wilder has heaped praise on Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino as our gaffer apparently has a hand in their success.
With Wilder gearing up for their return to the Premier League, he recently revealed in an interview that Poch was his favourite manager in the top flight given how he goes about his business and his preference for developing young players and fostering a good spirit in the group, but he also stated that he’d nicked a few training sessions from our gaffer.
Speaking to the BBC’s Football Focus programme (11/5 – 12.20pm), he explained.
“I have got to say he’s my favourite manager in the Premier League. Just the way he brings everybody in. I think that’s huge. The players who play week in, week out, they are they the easy ones to manage. It’s the boys on the outside that you have to invest time in and do step up as Moura has done. The work ethic of his team. The way they play. His recruitment and everything. We have nicked a few sessions out of there. We had our sports scientist, who is our first-team coach now, he used to work at Tottenham. We managed to get an insight into a few of his sessions.”
Hardly new in the game I suspect as staff move around and take on new ideas, but incredibly high praise given Wilder’s own success in recent times. Left me smiling in any event, but he’ll be hoping next season Pochettino isn’t the one left laughing when we meet.
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