Chris Wilder previews Bristol City v Sheffield United as the Blades look to triumph in the play-offs at the 10th time of asking
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00:00Chris, injury-wise then ahead of the playoffs, Femi Sariki, how is he today?
00:05He's had a scan, so no major damage.
00:08So potentially, he'll be available for the second leg.
00:18So that's good news. He'll miss out on Thursday night.
00:22He's got a little bit of damage in that shoulder.
00:25But fingers crossed we'll get him ready for Monday.
00:29To talk about him, because I know I realise we've been through a lot of players who've done well this year.
00:35To all intents and purposes, really, it's been Sariki's breakthrough year, hasn't it?
00:39In the volume of football that he's played and the contribution that he's been able to make.
00:43Yeah, I think there's a couple in there, isn't there?
00:46So from Femi's point of view, breakthrough year, City obviously.
00:51Picking up the Young Player of the Year award on Sunday night as well was a great acknowledgement and achievement for him.
00:57In his first season, playing regular first-team football.
01:01So yeah, it's been good for both of those young boys.
01:05And there's been opportunities as well in there for the younger players to be in around the first team.
01:10I always remember being around Christmas time where we were low on numbers.
01:15I just imagine, from your point of view, who's this boy and who's that boy.
01:21But Baptiste has been involved, Black has been involved.
01:25Ryan O'Neill has been involved as well.
01:27Obviously, a memorable moment for him at Bristol City when we played down there in the league as well.
01:31So yeah, it's been good for the young players.
01:34And another really positive point from our point of view, you know, being at the top of the table for the majority of the season
01:43and managed to integrate young players into the group has been an outstanding achievement for the academy
01:51and for the coaches to integrate them.
01:54Is everybody else OK?
01:56Everybody else is OK, yeah.
01:57The only one that we talked about was Ben through an illness that he picked up.
02:02So he's gathering pace.
02:05So we'll make a decision today whether he travels with us or not.
02:09And if he doesn't travel us, he'll be definitely involved on Monday.
02:12One or two players have played a little less over the game since Burnley, like Campbell, for instance,
02:17but he's not the only one.
02:18So how kind of healthy is he?
02:22Yeah, they've not lost anything.
02:24Yeah, they've not lost anything.
02:25There's some intense conversations and discussions in terms of what we needed to do over these two games.
02:34I believe everything that we did after the Burnley game, we've ticked all those boxes.
02:38Giving players vital minutes to get them up to speed, resting a couple that needed resting
02:48and having two positive performances, very positive performance on Saturday,
02:58even though we didn't get the result that I believe we deserved.
03:01And that reset after the Burnley game was really important.
03:04You know, the preparation going into the playoffs has been very, very good from a physical point of view,
03:10getting all those boxes ticked, which we've done and getting back to winning ways and playing in the manner and the style that's got us into the position that we have with plus 90 points.
03:25The playoffs, are you a fan of the playoffs and the concept of them?
03:31I'd rather be sat on a beach somewhere at this particular moment, achieving something.
03:37But as everybody talks about, and I've had a little taste of it, in 2010, the way to go up, as everybody talks about, is through the playoffs and at Wembley.
03:51But two unbelievably difficult games before that.
03:56So, you know, I've got too much respect for the game, too much respect for the opposition and the opposition manager and the opposition club
04:05to think that, you know, because we are points ahead in league standing and we've come out of the Premier League,
04:12that this is going to be straightforward.
04:13It isn't.
04:13And, but, you know, obviously everybody talks about going up at Wembley, but we've got to deal with two really difficult games,
04:23first and foremost, against a very talented group of players that we're up against, that we've seen here at Bramwell Lane,
04:30that were very good on the night and obviously two tight games that we've played against them.
04:34So expecting it to be no different in both games over the next four or five days.
04:40I assume something similar has been asked of Liam Manning.
04:44But because it's two legs, does that maybe tweak a thought about how you might approach it?
04:50And of course them, clearly, over two legs.
04:52No, we're going down there to try and get a win.
04:56And if they need a win coming back up the road, then they'll be trying to do that as well.
05:01So no negative approach.
05:05We believe at our best we can compete with any team in the division.
05:09And our way record has been absolutely outstanding this season.
05:12And we need to continue in that vein of form and be consistent in our approach to every game,
05:19which has always been we go there to win.
05:21We might have to suffer.
05:22We might get pushed back.
05:23We might have to deal with their threats.
05:25But I think they recognise as well, you know, from our point of view, in possession that we've got threats and we can hurt any team in this division.
05:35People talk about, people like to sort of look at narratives in regard to playoffs and look, we could talk about history and everything else.
05:42But how much is it that those that are successful just kind of have a better no regrets kind of mentality over three games?
05:49In terms of what?
05:52Well, just ignoring all the negativity and keep pushing it to one side and not letting any kind of fears seep in.
06:00Well, there's negativity in football right the way through, isn't there?
06:02In everything, whatever club you're at.
06:05So everybody has to deal with that.
06:07But there's no negativity in this group.
06:09I've been consistent in terms of how the players have been energised after the Burnley game and determined to go into the playoffs and win a playoff campaign.
06:19So, you know, the proof's in the pudding come tomorrow night in our approach.
06:23But there's no change in terms of, from a tactical point of view, no change in terms of our approach.
06:28I've just talked to you about it.
06:30We know we're going there to win.
06:31But we understand we're going to have to play very, very well to win a game of football at Ashton Gate on Thursday night in front of a very passionate and vociferous home crowd.
06:41I talked about, you know, teams getting under points, teams getting 90 points, teams getting into the playoffs.
06:48I've had to do a lot of things right this season.
06:50I talked about teams that haven't done a lot of things right, that have fallen through the trap door and big clubs and teams that are huge clubs that have been in the Premier League that are way below us.
07:01And way below Bristol City.
07:02So, as I've talked about, full credit to Liam and his team for getting into the playoffs.
07:08It's an outstanding achievement to extend their season.
07:13It wasn't, obviously, the outcome that we wanted.
07:18But there's been no negativity around the place.
07:20The players are focused.
07:22The staff are focused.
07:22We know what we've got to do.
07:24We're in good place.
07:25Physically, we're in a good place.
07:27Mentally, we're in a good place.
07:28We've got a full selection of a group apart from maybe one, which is outstanding at this stage of the season.
07:35We've got options.
07:37And, you know, we've got two games to go and get the job done.
07:42What do you see as Bristol City's threats then?
07:44Well, technically, they're a really good team.
07:47You know, they've caused problems with the shape.
07:50And they caused us problems with the shape.
07:52I didn't think we were at our best in the home game.
07:57And, you know, I thought it was possibly a fair result in the home game, which is obviously the most recent of meetings.
08:05But they've got some good players.
08:08But we have.
08:10We've got some big players as well.
08:11So big players that have got 90 plus points so far this season, big players that have played in big games and big players that are the group are up for the challenge against, as I said, a talented young side, well coached, good players in that well coached team.
08:31And, as I said, the backing of a really passionate home support.
08:36But they'll have to deal with us as well on Monday night as well.
08:40But obviously that'll get taken care of when we come to talk about that second leg.
08:46But full focus has been on and obviously trying to get a positive result on Thursday night.
08:53So, thank you.
08:54No problem.
08:56Morning, Chris.
08:57Morning.
08:57I just wondered, in the build-up to this game, obviously, everyone knows the importance of it.
09:02Have you done anything differently with the players or has it purposely been a normal sort of build-up to everything?
09:07No, nothing different.
09:08Nothing different.
09:09No need to change.
09:10No need to change our approach, our preparation.
09:14Full preparation on the opposition, as we've done right the way through the season, that's got us into that position that we've got into and our way record.
09:25So, no different approach, no different change in preparation.
09:30There's an excitement amongst the group.
09:34The players are looking forward to the challenge of taking on a really talented side.
09:41And now we've just kept everything as normal as we possibly can do.
09:46It's a slightly different dynamic being over two legs, isn't it?
09:49How important is it to sort of keep cool heads?
09:52Because you can't win it after one game, but you can sort of lose it, can't you, if you don't keep that?
09:55There's a load of things that go into winning a game of football.
09:58You know, if you get a man sent off after 10 minutes on Saturday afternoon against Blackburn, you put yourself on the back foot.
10:04So, there's all those challenges right the way through 46 games.
10:07So, yeah, the tensions are heightened, the emotions are heightened as well because of the importance of the game and the standing of the game.
10:15But, you know, good players make good decisions, good players are disciplined, good teams are disciplined.
10:22Good teams are clinical in both boxes and good in the bit in between.
10:26And we're going to have to do all those things.
10:28Of course, you know, we're going to have to deal with a big start.
10:33They've got a decent home record and they'll be on the front foot.
10:37And we're going to have to deal with that, as you do for the majority of away games,
10:42when the onus is on the home team to come out and take the game to you.
10:48But we want control of the game as well.
10:51And we have to make good decisions, you know, mentally as well as technically and tactically.
10:56Yeah, you talked about the sense of excitement amongst the players.
11:00What about you and the staff?
11:01Because what you've done here is known, isn't it?
11:03This is a chance to write another chapter in that story, isn't it?
11:06How much excitement is there amongst you guys as well?
11:08Yeah, personally and speaking to the guys, yeah, 100%.
11:12We're all looking forward to it.
11:14There's no negativity about us at all.
11:15It's got nothing to do with us in terms of past records or whatever.
11:20It's just stuff that you guys and maybe supporters talk about.
11:23We're here to rewrite stuff, as we've talked about, from 2016.
11:27If I thought that, I wouldn't have walked in the building in 2016 when the club had six years in Division I.
11:33And possibly I would have listened to the majority of my pals who said,
11:37what are you doing?
11:38Taking the job.
11:38But I took it and I'll be eternally grateful for being given that opportunity to affect the journey of the football club on the first part of it through Kevin and Prince Abdullah.
11:55And the second part of it through Prince Abdullah and Stephen Bettis as well.
12:02So, you know, for me, it's serving the club.
12:06You know, this club has given me some incredible moments as a player and supported me incredibly well as a manager.
12:14And I want to repay everybody else in terms of doing my absolute utmost and the coaches to prepare the players,
12:21to get them in the right frame of mind, to put them in the right place physically and tactically.
12:25To achieve, yet again, something that will be special, but understanding that, you know, still the next two games are in front of us.
12:37I've got far too much experience.
12:38I've been hurt far too many times and I'm not that type of manager and the team's not that type of team just to think that we're just going to walk into Ashton Gate on Thursday night
12:47and just steamroll over the top of them because we finished 22 points or wherever it is.
12:51And we were in the Premier League last year and we've got this player and that player.
12:54We've got to go, go to battle, go and do it the hard way, go and earn the right.
13:00But for me personally, to repay all the support that I've had over two stints with achieving something incredibly special at the end of it is my goal at the end of it.
13:15There's little battles along the way that we've got to get over and understanding through, like I said, my experience.
13:21Nothing's given to you, we've got to go and earn the right to have that special day.
13:25And then if we have that special day, we've got to go and earn the right.
13:28But a lot of work to be done before, a lot of preparation's gone into it, a lot of focus, determination and everything that you need to do to be successful in a playoff campaign.
13:40Yeah, you touched on City earlier, obviously a well-deserved Young Player of the Year award on Sunday.
13:45What have you been most impressed by with him since he came into the group?
13:50I just always handled championship football and handled the big games.
13:58As I said, all these players have played in big games.
14:01You know, you look right the way through their CVs, whether it's, you know, Kiefer playoff games and big games for promotion and international games.
14:12And right the way through the group, you know, and even the boys that maybe are not really talked about a lot in terms of playing big games,
14:18they've played in Sheffield derbies, they've played in Yorkshire derbies.
14:22They know the feel of big, big games and we know these two games are going to be big games.
14:28And from City's point of view, he's handled those games right the way through.
14:32Yeah, there's been slight dips in form, which you would expect, but the majority of the time he's been outstanding in everything he's done.
14:40And now's the time for him to be consistent and kick his career on.
14:45He's given himself a good foothold.
14:47He started off his career at Sheffield United in a positive way.
14:49But you don't get plaudits after 40 games, you get plaudits when you win things, when you play 250, 300 games and you achieve things in your career.
15:00And he's still got a long way to go on that road.
15:03Asked you as well about your keeper player of the year in his first season, which is a big thing, isn't it?
15:07I think speaking to him, he was perhaps as surprised as anyone, but it's a worthy win, isn't it, for him?
15:12Yeah, I think there was a load of genuine contenders and candidates for that award.
15:17But Michael's had a great season, and not for the amount of work that he's had to do, but for me, similar to Dean Henderson in 18-19,
15:28when we were on top, the concentration levels, how clean he's been in terms of his handling and his positivity and coming for things.
15:36The big saves that you have to make when your team's on top and you're looking 100 yards down the pitch,
15:41and all of a sudden you're going to have to do something to produce a big moment.
15:46We're after big moments over these next two games, and I'd like to think we'll find those big moments with the players that we've got.
15:52But it isn't just a Gussema free kick or Tyrese Campbell finish in a Sheffield derby or whatever.
16:00Ben Berendia's goal against Middlesbrough or whatever it was.
16:04You know, Rhian's goal against Coventry, big moments.
16:08You know, big moments are big saves.
16:10You know, big save against Portsmouth, other big saves, and how calm he's been as well.
16:15So, it's been an outstanding signing.
16:17And, you know, to restore assets and give them value, which we've done,
16:24Anel, Vinny and Gus, is big for the football club.
16:29But to put value on those players that we've brought in, the Harrisons who've got in the team of the year,
16:35the Michael Coopers, Sidipeggs out of the Young Boys, those other boys, is really important as well.
16:41Michael knows that his season isn't done.
16:44He's got three other big games to play well in, but he's been outstanding for us.
16:48Yeah.
16:48And just more generally, I mean, pound for pound, there's probably not many better signings in the whole football league,
16:53is it, than Michael?
16:54Does that just show you, you can have all the data you can want in transfers,
16:57but you need that to assess those sort of intangibles, don't you, that character?
17:01Because it's such a good part to talk about it.
17:02Yeah, I know the narrative, you know, around the club at the moment is data-driven, and why not?
17:09And it's the way forward.
17:11But there is always the eyes and the objective and the subjective point of view,
17:18and the digging into character.
17:20His character's outstanding when we've watched him.
17:23And done our research on him, he's been very, very good.
17:26And then getting the deal done was a great bit of business by Stephen Bates,
17:31and to get that over the line.
17:33Cheers, Chris.
17:34Cheers, thank you.
17:36Obviously, the game speak for the sales, Chris,
17:38but with the players, some of them will have real personal sort of inspiration.
17:42Like, so Gus and Callum, what happened at Coventry.
17:45Harrison's had it a couple of times with Peter,
17:47so they'll have personal drive as well, won't they?
17:49Yeah, I think there's all different stories right away through, Leon.
17:52And so through every part of it, through supporters, through history, negative,
17:59through us, positive, and through the players that want to achieve,
18:04players that want to get back into the Premier League,
18:07players that played in the Premier League for us last year that have got unfinished business,
18:10the younger players that are starting their journey.
18:14Yeah.
18:14So right the way through the group, there's individual stories,
18:17but we have to bring that together as a collective to make sure the story is about us having a positive playoff campaign
18:24and achieving something that no other team's achieved here and having the celebrations that the two other clubs have had.
18:34Knowing that the important bit now is obviously getting our head down and cracking on over the next four or five days.
18:45You spoke to Graeme Alexander after the Doncaster-Bradford game,
18:49and Doncaster was celebrating it, giving him and his lads a bit of inspiration.
18:53Is that a little bit the same fit for your lads and yourself?
18:56There's been a few parties.
18:57I think, yeah, listen, I think when we've celebrated, it might have given a bit of inspiration to other teams as well.
19:05But you've still got to go out and do it, and we understand we've got to go and play well and do the business over the next two games.
19:12As I said, we're up against a really talented side.
19:15We've had two incredibly tight games with them.
19:18Our record, our way record on Thursday's good.
19:21Their own record's good.
19:23So it's going to be a tight game.
19:25I don't think any of these games between the four teams are going to be runaways.
19:30And I don't think anybody would approach it.
19:32I know Liam wouldn't approach it in that way, giving us the respect that I think we deserve.
19:39I certainly won't.
19:40The amount of years I've been in the game and understanding what a good side they are and what a good manager they are.
19:47And I just imagine it would be the same with Sunderland and Coventry as well.
19:51So, you know, it's going to be some twists and turns in both games.
19:55We're going to have to suffer in points and we're going to have to enjoy in points.
19:59But the main thing is getting through.
20:02But, you know, difficult games, but ones that we're really looking forward to and are ready for.
20:08In the mania, players have managed games well this season, haven't they?
20:10Sort of, by and large, in some tense environments.
20:14Yeah, listen, as I said, we're going to have, there's going to be times where we're going to suffer.
20:19We're not going to have, in any game, we're not going to have all the ball, all the opportunities.
20:23You know, it's not going to be one-way traffic.
20:25So, in those moments, all four teams have got to handle those moments well and got to come up with the big moments.
20:35And usually it's the big moments that decide these games.
20:38It's the confidence side of the group is that, you know, defensively we're pretty good and we have got big moments in us, as I've seen all season.
20:47So, you know, we're confident, we're confident that we can be successful over these next two games.
20:56But it's all right me talking about it, it's all right players talking about it amongst themselves and saying, you know, come on, got to go and go and get the job done.
21:06And we're going to have to play well over the next two games to get that job done.
21:09Cheers, mate.
21:11Hi.
21:12I just wanted to touch back on the squad quickly.
21:15I know you recently confirmed that you've got players like Shaq's back, Brewer and Diaz and Raksaki and O'Hare, like they're back in good shape.
21:22I was wondering how much of it, like a boost it is going into playoffs, it is to have 95% of the squad being healthy.
21:29Amazing boost, getting Tom Davis minutes on the pitch, recovering Gus because he's had some bumps and bruises.
21:36Harrison needed to come out of the team as well.
21:39So he's, you know, he's through for maybe just a fatigue point of view.
21:45And then Sam's come in and done outstandingly well as well.
21:50So giving minutes to everybody.
21:52So to have those groups all on the same page or fighting for a place or wanting to be part of it.
21:58And it's going to take, it's going to be, you know, a 20-man game and even more over the next two games to get through.
22:06And every manager will say the same.
22:10To have everybody available and putting their hand up to play gives us some great options, some difficult decisions.
22:17And having all those boys ready and waiting to go and do a job on Bristol City is a great boost for us.
22:24Yeah, and I know you said as well, like having sort of like a 20-man squad, as you said, how does that help with morale in like such big high stakes games as the playoffs?
22:34Oh, yeah, they understand, you know, out of respect for decisions made.
22:40If they're not in the team or they're not on the bench or not in the squad, that their full focus has to go into supporting the players that step out on the pitch on Thursday night.
22:50But, you know, we always, I can't remember one time where we've not used all our complement of, and quota of subs.
23:01And we're going to need all those players right the way through now.
23:04And if we do pick up injuries on Thursday and players may think that they may be not involved, all of a sudden they're back in and they've got to hit the ground running.
23:12But they're all on the same page and they're all determined to play a part and contribute.
23:17Perfect. I also wanted to quickly touch on R-Blaster, if that's all right.
23:22Yeah, of course.
23:22I've just seen on Instagram, obviously he posted recently that he's back on the grass, back into training.
23:27I just wanted to ask, you know, he was so influential, I would say personally, in my personal opinion, in the squad before his injury.
23:35How big of a boost do you reckon it will be to have him back in the squad eventually, even if it's not in time?
23:40Yeah, I mean, it's a nine-month injury and for the young man's development and future, we can't rush these things.
23:49But he's in a fabulous place, I believe.
23:51He's down there on Thursday night in the stand, which I'm not surprised about with his background.
23:58But yeah, we've had to deal with some big losses.
24:01Suter was a big loss for us at the time and Blaster was a big loss for us.
24:05But we've overcome them as a majority of teams have had to overcome their injury issues.
24:10So to get him back, he's a huge player.
24:12He was fabulous last year and at the start of the season he was a main player for us.
24:17So when he's ready, he's ready, but he's in a good place and it's good to see him smiling and back out on the grass and working hard in terms of getting closer to a return to training.
24:28How much will our Blasters and Suter's presence, I'd say, like their absence, be felt during the playoffs, if that makes sense?
24:40No, we've recovered pretty well.
24:41Maybe, you know, our Blaster's injury has opened the door for City and has come in and been our young player of the year.
24:48So one player's misfortune is another man's gain.
24:53So we're not relying on one player.
24:55We've had some good players that have been out for periods of this time.
24:59We've coped incredibly well because we wouldn't have got the 92 points that we've had if we just were relying on one or two players.
25:07So big blows for them more than anything, but we've covered and coped pretty well.
25:12And we're going to have to cover and cope pretty well if we pick up another couple of knocks over the next two games.
25:18Perfect, thank you.
25:19Thank you, cheers.
25:20Just one more.
25:22Step.
25:23Oh, sorry, mate.
25:25Oh, sing a song.
25:26Hi, Chris.
25:27Hiya.
25:28Hi, mate.
25:29You've got a great chance of bouncing back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
25:33But just looking at the bigger picture, you only rebuilt this squad in the summer.
25:40And is there an argument that perhaps with another season a bit more tweaking that there'd be better plays for the Premier League next season?
25:48Shut up and behave.
25:51When that door opens, you're not taking that route of not stepping through it.
26:00When that door opens, you have to take it and take that opportunity because it's so precious and you have to work so hard to get into that position.
26:08So when that door opens, you have to step through it.
26:11And we've got an opportunity now to do that and looking into the future, what will be, will be in terms of the development and the ambition of the football club.
26:21But full focus, 100% now is making sure that when that door does open, as you talked about, that we're ready to step through it and then deal with what we have to deal with if that's the case.
26:34So when that door opens, you're going to step through it and then deal with what we have to do.