A Championship manager has been sacked today after missing out on promotion to the Premier League last season.
The second division play-off final is widely-known as the richest game in football due to the prize money and benefits of being promoted to the top flight on offer, and a defeat can be gut-wrenching for the side that misses out.
That’s what happened to Sheffield United last season who, after just one year away, came within inches of returning to the Premier League, but were beaten 2-1 by Sunderland in the play-offs at Wembley.
Chris Wilder, 57, is in his second stint in charge of the club, having initially led them in the top flight between 2016 and 2021.
He left the club in March 2021 when they were bottom of the Premier League – a year in which they were relegated after two seasons – having initially joined them in May 2016 when they were in the Championship.
Now, though he has been sacked by the Blades, departing for a second time, after the new owners opted to head in a different direction – with that being the hiring of Ruben Selles.
‘Sheffield United can confirm a mutually agreed decision has been reached for manager Chris Wilder to leave the football club,’ their club statement read on Wednesday evening.
‘Chris will leave alongside coaches Alan Knill and Matt Prestridge, and in doing so depart with the best wishes and gratitude of everyone connected with Sheffield United.
‘A Blade through and through, the legacy Chris and his staff have created here will never be forgotten, going right back to 2016 when he initially took the job with the club rooted in League One.
‘Between 2016 and 2021, he guided the club to two promotions and a ninth-place finish in the Premier League, creating an era which will go down as one of the most fondly remembered in the club’s history.
‘After returning to the club during a difficult period in 2023, he has provided stability and created a new team which earned a Steel City derby double amongst other notable highlights last season.
‘Showing his calibre as a manager, he guided the club to third place finish, collecting 92 points, before a heartbreaking conclusion in the play-off final.
‘Our owners, COH Sports, would wish to place on record our thanks to Chris and his staff for their efforts whilst at the helm and will be extending their own appreciation in due course.’
After leaving United the first time, Wilder went onto lead Middlesbrough and Watford, but returned in 2023 – chosen as the person to lead them back to the Premier League.
He came close to doing that last season. After they finished third in the table on 90 points – 10 behind Leeds and Burnley – they reached the play-off final, where they would meet Sunderland.
US-based consortium COH Sports took over the club in December, when Wilder was already in charge. They had, up until now, resisted the urge to hire their own boss.
The owners are understood to be keen to implement a data-based recruitment process, with Nigerian winger Ehije Ukaku joining from Bulgarian club Botev Plovdiv last week.
Now, though, they are looking to go in a different direction and have moved Wilder on, choosing Selles as his successor. Selles was most recently manager of Hull in the Championship, but led Southampton in the Premier League two years ago.
‘This is a very powerful and ambitious project – it was very important at the start of the conversations that everyone is on the same page,’ Selles said after his appointment was announced less than an hour following Wilder’s exit.
‘We need to embrace data and new technologies, but the most important thing is not to forget the football essence.
‘The fans can expect a team which is not going to wait or be reactive, we will be proactive, we are going to go and try and be as competitive as we can in every single game.’
