Paul Heckingbottom has been speaking about Rhian Brewster this afternoon ahead of Sheffield United’s return to Premier League football.
The Blades boss is hoping to welcome Brewster back from injury in the new season. Brewster missed a big chunk of last term through injury and has been chomping at the bit to get back.
Brewster, 23, has been seen back on the training pitch doing light work this week. He is expected to ramp things up in the coming weeks and will hope to be part of the opening day squad to take on Crystal Palace.
However, while Brewster will feel like a new signing, Paul Heckingbottom has told TalkSPORT that he’ll be putting no pressure on the striker, albeit he admitted he cannot wait for the forward to score a Premier League goal.
“He’s going to get no pressure put on his shoulders from me. I really love the lad. He’s come a long way, he’s changed as a person after a couple of really difficult seasons.
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“We were just building our relationship off the pitch in terms of what we expected from him and how we went about changing his game slightly and we were getting there. And he was enjoying it. But he’s just had a few of those seasons what some players have where he’s been really unlucky with injuries.
“But he’s been our biggest fan. He’s been fantastic. From a personal point of view I’ll probably be on the pitch when he scores in the Premier League for Sheffield United. It’ll be a good moment for him. That’s all I want, to see him back on the pitch scoring goals. There’s no pressure on him.”
Sheff U News View: Like a new signing
For all the focus on making new signings, it’s easy to forget that we’ve basically been without Brewster for most of last season.
The former Liverpool man was just coming into some form again before being struck down. He’s been woefully unlucky and there won’t be a Blades fan out there who doesn’t want to see Brewster do well when he’s back.
Heckingbottom’s words here are typical of him. He just wants Rhian back playing and as he says, there’ll be no pressure in terms of pushing him to be the missing link.
Brewster will be desperate to do well. But if he can get fit, contribute early on, and earn his place back among the squad, then it really will feel like United have made a new signing.