Sheffield United are currently 13th in the Championship, but still have a chance of reaching the playoffs. Having finished third last season they would have expected better.
Missing out on promotion was a major blow to the Yorkshire club, especially in the manner in which it happened. The contrast in the latter’s fortunes with Sunderland, who sit 11th in the Premier League, is stark.
That 2025 effort will be led in part by players identified by Steven VanHaaren, who worked in transfers for Sheffield United until 2023. That was as part of the United World Group.
He is currently the sporting director at Hungarian club György ETO FC and is leading a project to keep them at the top of the table.
Sheffield United’s goal wasn’t high enough
Vanharen was at Sheffield United when they were last promoted to the Premier League. He then left the club, stating that he did so because he saw no way forward.
Speaking to a Belgian newspaper antwerp gazetteOld people got: “Promotion to the Premier League with Sheffield was a highlight. In 2023, I resigned because I didn’t feel supported enough and didn’t see any upward trend. Yes, it was quite a journey. I’ve done all sorts of things in football, which means I can now speak to many members of the coaching staff at a high level.”
As part of the interview, the director repeatedly made it clear that money is not everything, and a strong plan is more important.
On his general view, Vanharen described choosing a manager as an important aspect.
“Success doesn’t always cost money.” He said. “It’s a matter of approach, structures, people’s qualities and developing and using them adequately. First of all, you ask yourself: ‘What kind of football do I want to see my team playing?’ So that a club has an identity, a recognizable style of football. Then you think about how you want to develop it. Which method do you apply?
“The most important transfer in this regard is your head coach, who must develop players within the club’s philosophy. The next step is to determine what player profile you need. Then you ask yourself how you want to develop the scouting around him and link that to data. Of course, it is more complex than it seems. But many clubs do not work according to those four simple steps.”
Something about that process clearly didn’t make him happy at Sheffield United.
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