Sheffield United have hired former Barcelona and Spain player Francesc de Nadal as their new head coach on a 3 year deal worth a reported £5000 per week. De Nadal, 37, made 344 appearances for Barcelona in his one-club career whilst making 32 appearances for Spain before retiring due to injuries in 2005. The appointment of de Nadal marks his return to football after over 5 years out. The former Spanish midfielder was known for his excellent passing and dribbling ability, it is thought that the new manager will look to imprint his own “Spanish” style on the under performing Yorkshire club.


Who is de Nadal?
15/05/1976 - Born in Barcelona
1995 - First cap for Barcelona
1999 - First cap for Spain
2005 - Retired due to severe recurring knee injury
2013 - Appointed manager of Sheff UTD

Manager's report:

We have a great squad at Sheffield United full of young talent and we should be in the premier league this time next year.

With regards to transfers I hope to set up links with bigger English clubs to enable us to bring young talent in on loan. Furthermore, we have a big budget of around £1.5m and I hope to bring a top quality central midfielder as well as a new full back, centre half and right wing.

I also hope to offload a couple of our ageing strikers who won’t contribute much but can add some extra revenue.

Particular highlights of our squad:
Jose Baxter
Harry Maguire
John Brayford (on loan from Cardiff)
Diego De Girolamo

http://www.wearegoingup.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Sheffield-United.jpg

Manager's pre-season update:

Here are our pre-season fixtures:

Sheffield United vs. Sheff Utd U21s
Sheffield United vs. AA Gent
Boston United vs.Sheffield United
Portsmouth vs. Sheffield United
Sheffield United vs. Nottingham Forest
Sheffield United vs. St. Johnstone


I have also just set up the tactics i intent to use this season:

4-1-2-2-1
This deep lying formation will allow us to use our technically superior players to control and dominate the game through possession, in a manner not to disimilar to the way I used to play at Barca

4-4-2
A very simple, classic tactic that will allow us to turn back to basics if things aren't going our way. I feel this tactic will be useful against higher league sides
[spoiler=4-4-2][/spoiler]


That concludes my pre-season report; i will be back with another report before the start of the season to present my pre-season results and transfer dealings.

Founded in 1889, Sheffield United are a professional English club currently playing in the Sky
Bet League 1. Sheff Utd narrowly failed to win promotion from the Sky Bet League 1 last term.

The club play their home games at Bramall Lane and possess superb training facilities and
good youth facilities. The club's training ground is Shirecliffe. The club also has average junior
coaching and an above average youth recruitment network. The club is affectionately known as
The Blades and retains a fierce rivalry with Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United.

The club enjoyed probably their best spell of success during the 1900s. Although now enduring
a thirty-one year barren spell, having not won a competition since 1982, The Blades still have a
history of which they can be justly proud. Sheff Utd won the English top division for the only
time in 1898 and finished runners-up two times, won the FA Cup in 1899, 1902, 1915 and 1925
and finished second best two further times, won the English 2nd tier for the only time in 1953
and finished runners-up on six occasions, and finished runners-up in the English 3rd tier for the
only time in 1989.

For the upcoming 2013/2014 season the board expect at least promotion from their new manager, Francesc de Nadal.

Pre-season review:

We enjoyed a relatively successful pre-season with some good results, noteably against Nottingham Forest, however, I was disappointed with our performance against League 2 Portsmouth.

Sheffield United 4 - 0 Sheffield Utd U21s

Sheffield United 2 - 3 AA Genk

Boston United 0 - 2 Sheffield United

Portsmouth 1 - 0 Sheffield United

Sheffield United 2 - 1 Nottingham Forest

Sheffield United 3 - 2 St. Johnstone

Summer Transfer Roundup:

I requested that my board search for a feeder club as above, and they suggested Arsenal, Newcastle and Manchester United. I of course recommended United due to geographical location and quality of their quality youth system.


Josh Vela - Bolton Wanderers - Loan

Elliot Omozusi - Leyton Orient - £675k

Michael Keane - Manchester United - Loan

Jake Kirby - Tranmere Rover - £925k




Matt Hill - Hibernian - £58k

Chris Porter - Aberdeen - £250k

Terry Kennedy - St. Mirren - £38k


I may delve into the market again to further strengthen as the window is not yet closed, and even if I don't my squad is in good shape, roll on next season!

http://www.football-league.co.uk/javaImages/ca/cd/0,,10794~12111306,00.jpg

With the new season fast approaching take a look at Sky Sport's League 1 preview.

Sky Bet League 1 promotion odds from Sky Bet
Wolves have been made 6-1 favourites to gain promotion from the Sky Bet League 1 this season.

The rest of the main contenders are priced at: 8-1 - Brentford, 10-1 - Sheff Utd, 10-1 - Bristol City, 10-1 - Peterborough and 10-1 Leyton Orient.

Having priced your team at 10-1, the bookmakers obviously believe that Sheffield United are one of a number of teams in with a serious chance
promotion. They feel that as long as United perform to your capabilities there is no reason why you shouldn't be in a promotion spot
come the end of the season. However, it would seem it is hard to look beyond Wolves who have a very strong squad and should definitely achieve promotion.

Quick Update

Today is the 1st August.
The season is upon us, come on boys we're going up!!!

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/03/09/1394372871121_lc_galleryImage_Sheffield_United_s_John_B.JPG

August Update

A poor start to the season with 2 wins, draws, and losses. Admittedly it was a tough start, playing a strong Bradford team twice, unfortunately we crashed out the League Cup but the league isn't looking too bad as I lie in 6th place. It is interesting to note the difference in home and away form which shows the crowd's influence over our possession game.

With regards to the table i think it is worth noting league favourites Wolves languishing in 17th, whilst Rotherham whom we are playing twice in the next week are top.

[spoiler=League Table][/spoiler]

Sheffield United 4 - 1 Notts County

J. Baxter (3, 81 pen)
B. Harris (7)
T. Kirby (35)
D. Collins (83 OG)


Bradford 5 - 2 Sheffield United (League Cup)

A. Mclean (10, 33, 42, 82)
M. Keane (20)
H. Bouazza (28)
B. Paynter (80)


Brentford 2 - 1 Sheffield United

A. Judge (23 pen)
J. Baxter (30 pen)
M. Trotta (41)


Sheffield United 2 - 2 Colchester

H. Maguire (1 OG)
J. Murphy (8)
J. Baxter (59)
G. Massey (78)


Bradford 0 - 0 Sheffield United


Sheffield United 4 - 2 MK Dons
B. Paynter (4, 10 pen)
R. Hall (15)
J. Murphy (47)
H. Maguire (56)
D. Samuel (82)


Player of the month:
Jose Baxter
4 goals, 1 assist
It was Hard to choose a player for this after such an average start, but Baxter has to get it with some encouraging performances.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/12/15/article-2523878-1A1A932E00000578-216_634x456.jpg

Good luck

Good luck with the season ahead, I hope you lead the blades into the Championship!

Some good updates here mate, deserve a lot of credit for what you've done there and the quality and detail of your updates are amazing

I agree with Bantams, and Baxter can become a top-quality player, he definitely has the potential!

September Update:

Another mixed month for the club, started poorly with consecutive defeats away at league leaders and Yorkshire rivals Rotherham. However, our form picked up after throughout September and we got a solid win against a resurgent Wolves. We lie in fourth after a tricky month but i see plenty of promise, I also hope to make progress in the FA cup to make amends for our poor showing in the other two cups.


Rotherham 1 - 0 Sheffield United
H. Vuckic (26)


Rotherham 3 - 0 Sheffield United
N. Adams (9)
C. Morgan (44)
D. Asamoah (82)


Carlisle 0 - 3 Sheffield United
C. McFadzean (40, 68)
J. Baxter (48)


Sheffield United 0 - 0 Preston North End


Wolves 1 - 2 Sheffield United
J. Kirby (11, 66)
L. Clarke (17)


Player of the month:
Harry Maguire
2 clean sheets, 1 assist
A tough month, but our young captain marshalled the defence well against some of the league's best strikeforces.

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02715/harry-maguire_2715276b.jpg

October Update:

An unbeaten October takes up to second in the table and we are now right in the mix for the title and promotion. 3 wins and 2 draws, the team is playing well. Wolves have now climbed back up to the top after an awful start; I can see a three horse race with us Wolves and Rotherham. Check the table:
[spoiler=League Table][/spoiler]


Sheffield United 1 - 0 Crawley Town
B. Paynter (90+1)


Coventry City 0 - 0 Sheffield United


Sheffield United 2 - 1 Port Vale
J. Baxter (20)
T. Pope (27)
J. Murphy (42)


Peterborough Town 2 - 2 Sheffield United
M. Bostwick (4)
J. Coppinger (10)
J. Baxter (22)
J. Kirby (54)


Sheffield United 3 - 1 Crewe Alexander
U. Ikpeazu (21)
J. Baxter (33, 78)
J. Kirby (37)


Players of the month:
Jose Baxter
4 goals, 1 assist
Jake Kirby
2 goals, 2 assists
A good month from new signing Kirby who showed he is more than just a squad player. Baxter carried on his sensational form, cementing his place as one of our key players.

http://www.thestar.co.uk/webimage/1.6005644.1378122309!/image/562525350.jpg_gen/derivatives/articleImgDeriv_628px/562525350.jpg