Andy Hinchcliffe and Jamie Redknapp were speaking about the departure of Chris Wilder from Sheffield Utd and both came to the conclusion the departed manager should be high on the list of any club looking for a managerial appointment.
Wilder and Sheffield United had been on a downward trajectory this season and some inexplicable signings have added to their woes.
However, both Hinchcliffe and Redknapp were both full of praise for the outgoing Wilder with the Sky Sports commentator even mentioning the Celtic rumours about Wilder perhaps going up north.
Hinchcliffe spoke on Spy Sports TV as Cited by Yorkshire live: “I certainly hope he stays in football. I hope he stays in the British game. Celtic, there’s been rumours of him going up there.
“He’s too good a man, he’s too good a coach, for football to not have him somewhere.
“It’s going to be hard for him because we know what Sheffield United meant to him and he’s done such an incredible job.
“He maybe thought it could have ended this way, but he’s got to take some time, take stock, decide what he’s going to do.
“He will not be short of offers and football in this country really does need Chris Wilder so let’s hope he’s back soon.”
Jamie Redknapp believes Wilder should be saught after by anyone looking to fill a manager’s position.
“Pre-lockdown, we were talking about if they could qualify for the Champions League.
“Lockdown obviously caused them a lot of problems. The signings probably haven’t worked out, Brewster – when you bring a young player in, you’re hoping they hit the ground running, that hasn’t worked.
“But when I think back to the job that he did, how he played with the back three with the two centre-halves overlapping. It was revolutionary in a way and we don’t expect a manager to do something we haven’t seen before.
“Of course things come to an end, but for it to happen in this manner. I was thinking next year, who will be the man to bring them back? Chris Wilder would have been the perfect person, so I feel really uncomfortable with it.
“But he’ll bounce back. If I was an owner right now and I’m thinking of a manager to play the right way and get the best out of players, Chris Wilder would be right on top of my list.
“What an amazing job: football man, speaks sense, says it as it is. We’re going to miss him, but hopefully it won’t be for too long.”
Wilder might have a decent reputation down south but Celtic fans see the Englishman as a manager who spent big money on the likes of Oli McBurnie and Oli Burke. Two frontmen who add very little to your team.
It has to be said, Wilder’s reputation among fans of Sheffield Utd is still very high despite him being sacked.
The Celtic manager debate is getting a bit monotonous at the moment. Nobody has any idea what the club is thinking and who they have in mind for the role. That’s why we continue to see a variety of names linked to the post.
