{"id":1135761,"date":"2026-08-07T11:47:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T11:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1135761\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T11:47:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T11:47:02","slug":"conor-washington-backs-chris-wilder-to-lead-sheffield-united-back-to-the-premier-league","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1135761\/","title":{"rendered":"Conor Washington backs Chris Wilder to lead Sheffield United back to the Premier League"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Chris\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Conor Washington believes Sheffield United<\/a> manager Chris Wilder<\/a> has all the ingredients needed to mount another Championship<\/a> promotion challenge.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The former Blades striker, who played under Wilder during the club\u2019s rise to the Premier League in 2019 and now works within the club\u2019s academy setup, backed his former manager to deliver another successful season at Bramall Lane.<\/p>\n

The club missed out on an immediate return to the top flight after suffering defeat in the 2025 play-off final against Sunderland, with Wilder and the club parting ways shortly afterwards.<\/p>\n

However, Sheffield United brought the 58-year-old back at the start of last season following a difficult opening spell under Ruben Selles.<\/p>\n

For exclusive stories and all the detailed EFL<\/a>\u00a0news<\/a>\u00a0you need,\u00a0<\/strong>subscribe to The Football League Paper<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0website, digital edition, or newspaper from as little as 14p a day.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Infectious personality<\/p>\n

Wilder helped the club recover from that challenging start to secure a 13th-place finish, and Washington has praised the qualities he believes make the experienced manager capable of delivering success once again.<\/p>\n

Speaking in an exclusive interview with BylineCoverage<\/a>, he said: \u201cI had a brilliant season under Chris at Sheffield United. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m actually working at Sheffield United now, so I see him relatively regularly. He\u2019s a great character. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe moan about it a lot, don\u2019t we, that the game doesn\u2019t have characters anymore, and Chris is a real big character. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got an infectious personality and drives standards as well, which is really important. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no time for down days. He embodies that in the way that he approaches training and being in every day, and just the demands and the quality that he puts into the sessions with his staff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ChrisBACKING BLADES: Chris Wilder has been praised by former Sheffield United striker Conor Washington.
PICTURE: Nick Potts\/PABacked<\/p>\n

Washington, however, added that Wilder\u2019s promotion hopes will depend on being backed in the transfer market.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be more surprised if they aren\u2019t challenging for promotion again, to be honest, just with the track record that he and the staff have got,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd hopefully he\u2019ll be backed by the owners in the transfer market to go and make a squad capable of being at the top end of the Championship again, which he\u2019s obviously done numerous times now. <\/p>\n

\u201cAs a manager, he can be ruthless when he needs to be, and I sort of fell foul of that, I guess, towards the back end of the season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBut ultimately, his goal was to get the club promoted, and he brought in other players to help do that. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo I\u2019ve got total respect and understanding of that, and left with his best wishes at the time, and have had a good relationship with him since. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo like I say, I\u2019d be more surprised if Sheffield United weren\u2019t challenging for promotion again.<\/p>\n

\"HaydenREADY FOR THE CHALLENGE: Hayden Mullins is the new man in charge at Newport<\/a> County.
PICTURE: AlamySustainability<\/p>\n

Another of Washington\u2019s former clubs, Newport County<\/a>, appointed Hayden Mullins as manager this summer following Christian Fuchs\u2019 departure.<\/p>\n

And he backed the former Fulham U21s and Colchester United boss to bring stability after a period of frequent managerial changes at Rodney Parade.<\/p>\n

Washington explained: \u201cIn terms of the new manager, there\u2019s been a lot of upheaval at the club in terms of managers in and out, and I think they just need a period of sustainability and a bit of continuity, especially in the manager department. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere have been so many over the years. I think it\u2019s a good appointment. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got a hell of a lot of experience playing and has now coached for a good number of years at a really good level as well, so it seems like a natural step. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been around the levels, so it\u2019s not going to be a surprise to him. I think it\u2019ll be a good appointment, and I wish him all the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

Washington also praised Peterborough<\/a> United\u2019s recruitment model after Harry Leonard enjoyed an impressive first season at London Road, scoring 16 goals in 37 league appearances following his move from Blackburn Rovers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"TALENT FACTORY: Conor Washington, right, believes Peterborough United<\/a>\u2019s recruitment model remains the benchmark after Harry Leonard\u2019s impressive breakthrough season.
PICTURE: AlamyRecruitment<\/p>\n

The former Posh striker believes Leonard could attract interest from higher up the pyramid if he continues to perform, but expects Posh to follow their proven approach of developing talent and reinvesting in the next prospect.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cHe had a great season, and I think in a team that probably didn\u2019t perform particularly well either.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat league\u2019s getting tougher and tougher now for a club like Peterborough to keep doing what they\u2019re doing, and it\u2019s fantastic that they still do, to be fair.<\/p>\n

\u201cListen, I don\u2019t want to upset the chairman; he\u2019s been great to me, and I\u2019ve got a good relationship with him, so I don\u2019t want to be touting around his players to get sold.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBut ultimately, that is the game. If he goes and has another similar season to the one he\u2019s just had, then obviously clubs up the pyramid are going to be looking at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeterborough will probably do what they\u2019ve always done and cash in and then find the next one, which is a real testament to the scouting network, and obviously the chairman and everybody associated with the club\u2019s eye for talent.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody\u2019s tried to replicate what they\u2019ve done by looking into the lower leagues, but I just don\u2019t think anybody\u2019s done it quite as well as Peterborough have.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo hopefully he has another good season for himself and obviously for the club as well, because they won\u2019t stand in his way if a reasonable offer comes in, and then they\u2019ll be on to the next one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read the full exclusive interview with Conor Washington for BylineCoverage HERE<\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Scott Lindsey: I do not care about York City fans\u2019 boos<\/a><\/p>\n

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