Sheffield United sack Heckingbottom amid relegation battle،
Sheffield United have sacked their manager Paul Heckingbottom, following their 5-0 defeat at Burnley on Saturday.
Heckingbottom is the first casualty of a Premier League manager this season, with Wolverhampton Wanderers parting ways with Julen Lopetegui three days before the start of the season.
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The club confirmed the news in a statement on Tuesday: “Sheffield United can confirm that football manager Paul Heckingbottom has been removed from his role. Additionally, coaches Stuart McCall and Mark Hudson have also left the club.”
The club confirmed the news after a poor start to the season with just five points and one win from 14 games, leaving them bottom of the Premier League.
Prince Abdullah Bin Mosaad Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, owner of Sheffield United, revealed the news on Talksport radio on Tuesday morning, and announced that Heckingbottom's predecessor, Chris Wilder, would replace him.
“Yes [I have made the decision]”, Prince Abdullah told Talk Sport.
Heckingbottom took charge of United in 2021, leading them to promotion to the top flight of English football last season after finishing second in the Championship.
Heckingbottom becomes the first Premier League manager to lose his job this season, unlike recent campaigns. There were 14 managerial changes last season and 10 the year before.
“I have mixed emotions about letting Paul go,” Prince Abdullah told Talksport. “I really have a lot of respect for Paul and everything he has done for the club, he is a very classy guy.
“But I felt like after the last few games it was a necessary decision and the replacement has done great things for the clubs and knows the club, so I feel good with this decision of a way, but I really have immense respect for Paul.”
United's campaign so far has been punctuated by heavy defeats, including an 8-0 home defeat to Newcastle and a 5-0 defeat at Arsenal.
Discussing Wilder's return, Prince Abdullah said: “Chris [Wilder] is practically an honorary of the club, he is part of the history of Sheffield United.
“Chris has done great things for the club and in my opinion he is the best guy on planet Earth to take over the club right now in these circumstances.”
During his previous stint at Sheffield United, Wilder took over when the club were in League One and won two promotions, returning them to the Premier League for the first time in 12 years in 2019.
In his first season back in the Premier League, Sheffield United finished ninth, winning Wilder the LMA Manager of the Year award for 2019-20.
However, the following season Wilder's side failed to win a Premier League match until the 18th game of the season and he was sacked in March 2021.
