A Championship manager is set to be 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 is set to be sacked by the Blades, departing for a second time, after the new owners opted to head in a different direction.
A Championship manager is set to be sacked today after missing out on Premier League promotion
Chris Wilder is in his second stint in charge of Sheffield United but is now set to depart side
Former Hull, Reading and Southampton boss Ruben Selles is in the frame to replace Wilder
Selles left Hull earlier this year but is now set for his latest job in the second tier of English football
After leaving United the first time, he 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.
Now, though, they are looking to go in a different direction and will move Wilder on, with an announcement expected in due course.
Wilder is thought to have an excellent relationship with Steven Rosen – one of the two people leading the new ownership – but bosses are keen to bring in their own person.
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.
Gary O’Neil had been linked with replacing Wilder, but it is now reported that the former Wolves and Bournemouth boss won’t be stepping into the dugout at Bramall Lane.
Instead, former Southampton, Reading and Hull manager Ruben Selles is set to step into the hotseat. Selles was most recently manager of Hull in the Championship, but led Southampton in the Premier League two years ago.
