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Wilder Ready For Barnsley

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Manager Chris Wilder has said he’s ready for this weekend’s South Yorkshire derby against Barnsley at Bramall Lane.

Welcoming them to our home ground for Saturday’s early kick off, Wilder told the Official Site as he met with the media for his pre game press conference that he expected a typical derby affair but he didn’t believe the fact that he and opposite number Paul Heckingbottom being boyhood supporters of their respective sides would have much of a baring.

‘Even taking myself and Paul Heckingbottom out of the occasion, it would still be a highly contested and competitive game. It’s two local sides and it’s a derby game, it will be what it says on the tin and contain everything you expect to see.’

Wilder went on to say that whilst we’d do our normal preparation for Barnsley, as ever his focus was on Sheffield United, what we did and how we performed and that wouldn’t change even with bragging rights on offer.

‘We’ll do our preparation on Barnsley, but I’m focusing on us. We aren’t happy with the situation, regardless of outside influence we have to look at ourselves and see how we can improve to get a positive result.’

He added.

‘I want us to be right for Saturday and we are determined to make sure we do enough in both boxes for it to make a difference in the final reckoning.’

The Yorkshire Post also quote him about the season so far with victory over Brentford, before back to back defeats to Middlesbrough and Cardiff City.

‘I quite enjoy, in a perverse sort of way, periods like this. When there is a little doubt, I, as a person, don`t go into my shell. I am a little bit more perkier than usual. It`s quite easy to manage when you are winning; the key is when things have gone against you, what do you do. I am looking forward to Saturday, and I am sure the players are. People can say we lost to Middlesbrough and Cardiff, top of the division, established clubs, but we are not happy – and I don`t want us to be happy.’

He went on to say.

‘Barnsley is an important game; all the home games are important. Punters are not daft. If we are not putting the effort and enthusiasm in and not winning games, they won`t back us like they have done. I don`t take my lead from them, but you do look at the reaction from the crowd afterwards. We are appreciative of their support and I think they see we haven given it a good go. But I don`t want to just give it a good go, I want to get something from the games. The players are feeling a little bit down; it`s my job to pick them up.’

Asked about transfer business with the summer window edging towards closure, Wilder also said we wouldn’t be selling any first team players this summer but James Hanson and John Brayford may move on so he can do a couple more deals.

‘We have tried to do business as quick as we wanted to. There is no change in that. Of course the squad needs strengthening. There has been interest in a couple of our players, as there always is. When team-sheets came out at Middlesbrough and Cardiff, with players not involved, there has been an obvious question asked of us regarding players. James (Hanson) is still here, but he is injured at the moment. I am loyal to the players who got us into the division, but we are always looking. Everybody recognises I have to wheel and deal in certain situations. It`s a learning process for me too.’

Adding.

‘John is still here, so I think the ball is with Burton. I know there has been dialogue between both clubs. Until John is not here, he is in the group, training, and played last week against Walsall.’

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