Chris Wilder thinks Sheffield United should try and replicate what Bournemouth have achieved in the Premier League.
Fittingly, the Cherries are the first opponents of Wilder’s men after earning promotion back to England’s top flight.
The Blades will travel to the Vitality Stadium on Saturday for their first top tier match in 12 years. When they were last in the division back in 2006/07, Bournemouth were struggling in League One.
In fact the Dorset side almost dropped out of the EFL altogether two years later, narrowly avoiding relegation from League Two despite starting with a 17-point deduction.
Under the guidance of manager Eddie Howe, from then they have since enjoyed an impressive turnaround. Three promotions in six years saw them reach the Premier League in 2015.
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They are now preparing for their fifth successive season in the top flight and Wilder thinks his team can learn from their achievements.
“There is no reason why the boys cannot do a Bournemouth,” the 51-year-old told BBC Sport.
“Five years ago they were in League One and there are some boys there who started their journey and we have players in the same position.”
What Sheffield United can learn from Bournemouth
(Photo by Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
It is important to remember that the story from the south coast isn’t quite the plucky underdogs constantly exceeding expectations.
Their majority shareholder and former co-owner is Russian businessman Maxim Denim. A lot of money has been put into the club, including for transfers.
Yet while they have always spent big on some players, their squad remains balanced and several of them were there back in the League One days.
In defence, captain Simon Francis, Steve Cook and Charlie Daniels have risen through the divisions with them and remain important figures.
Further forwards, Dan Gosling and Andrew Surman were both signed when the Cherries were in the Championship. Meanwhile, Callum Wilson is now recognised as one of the best English strikers in the country.
The Blades have signed eight new players this summer, but will remain heavily reliant on those who got them promoted. Wilder is therefore right to try and be influenced by Howe’s side.
