Sheffield United: What the boss really meant when he talked about young players

As well as attempting to influence the narrative journalists have wrapped around the season, positioning United as play-off outsiders rather than strong contenders, Heckingbottom’s words were also aimed at supporters and Bramall Lane’s board of directors - reminding both, after using the last transfer window to streamline the squad, that experience must be acquired during this summer’s market.

But United’s manager, previously the club’s under-23’s coach before succeeding Slavisa Jokanovic, also hoped his message resonated with the likes of Will Osula, Kacper Lopata, Kyron Gordon.

Together with Daniel Jebbison, Oliver Arblaster, Nickseon Gomis and Femi Seriki, the other beneficiaries of an injury crisis which has torn the heart out of Heckingbottom’s squad, the former Barnsley chief wants them to know they haven’t ‘made it’ yet.

“It’s great to see,” he said, following Wednesday’s goalless draw with Blackpool. “They’ll definitely learn from it. But being honest, I’d much rather they’d all actually earned their places by coming through past 14 or so senior pro’s.”

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A passionate advocate of developing home-grown talent, Heckingbottom’s comment wasn’t designed to be a slap in the face for the latest batch of fledglings to graduate from United’s youth programme. But he does hope it will remind them there is still plenty of work to do before they can claim to be in and around the starting eleven completely on merit. Heckingbottom is convinced of this group’s potential. But he doesn’t want it to begin shaping their personalities.

“We want to produce good people as well as good footballers,” he stated earlier this term. “If you’re a good person, one who’s willing to listen and learn, then the two go hand in hand.”

When United face Heckingbottom’s hometown club tomorrow lunchtime, most of those involved in the stalemate at Bloomfield Road will be deployed again. With 11 outfield players unavailable, Heckingbottom, his assistant Stuart McCall and head of player development Jack Lester have been left with no room for manoeuvre when it comes to selection. Barring the odd position on the bench, United’s side now picks itself.

Ninth in the Championship but only a point behind sixth-placed Queens Park Rangers, Heckingbottom knows a win over Poya Asbaghi’s side will lift them to fourth. Barnsley are 22nd. But Asbaghi’s men have won three and drawn two of their last six outings, beating Middlesbrough and drawing with Fulham during that run.

The contest, of huge significance at both ends of the division, promises to be a test of character as well as skill for United’s next generation.

“It’s great to have the young lads in there with us,” Heckingbottom said. “But when there’s so many of them at the same time, it does bring a different vibe. Think of how vocal it would usually be in that dressing room before a game, with lots of senior professionals with 200 odd games under their belt.”

“They’d be revving each other up,” he added. “It would be vocal. This isn’t a criticism. But it’s not like that for us at the moment, because we’ve got five or six who are sitting in there and probably feel a little bit starstruck.”

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