Blades: No fast fix for Sheffield United boss Speed
By tasking himself to win Sheffield United promotion in his first season as a manager, Gary Speed is tackling a precarious challenge head on.
But Speed also showed another side of his nature this week by pulling back from the brink of his first buy for the club.
Yes, you read that right - the word is "buy." Although United didn't pay a fee for any of their summer signings, the new boss was confident the board would back him over at least one possible cash deal before the August window closed on Tuesday.
Speed declined to push the business, partly as an expression of confidence in his current squad to climb the table but also because he feels he would have been irresponsible to act so quickly.
"To purchase players without doing the proper homework was a risk I wasn't prepared to take in terms of the club's future," he told the Telegraph.
"I had a couple of options. I could have gone to the club and I'm sure we'd have done something. But when it came to the crunch I wouldn't make panic buys. You need to watch players consistently over a period and I hadn't had the chance to do that.
"A lot of clubs feel they have to be seen to be doing something. I'm not overly keen on that. Besides, we've got a decent squad and I can still bring in loan players where needed."
But when it comes to how he expects his team to fare, even after a modest start, the former Leeds, Everton, Newcastle and Wales midfielder has no such reservations.
"I took over after two games so there's plenty of time to get up the table and challenge," he said. "That's what I expect of myself and the players. I'm under no illusions because I realise I'm with a big club that needs to be in the Premier League."
I believe the media will make the due allowance for Speed if he falls short during the steep learning curve of his first season; whether the same proves true of Bramall Lane fans in general remains to be seen.
But the man himself neither expects nor demands their understanding, having been genuinely taken aback by the acclaim he received before his winning home start against Preston last Saturday. For all his celebrated achievements as a player, Speed is a modest bloke who doesn't seek special treatment and is prepared to work as hard for his rewards as he did on the field.
Equally, he will have realised that some supporters may have been lukewarm about his appointment because of his close association with a previous regime that never got the credit it deserved for steadying the club in times of turmoil.
"I was a bit unsure how I would be received, so it meant a great deal," Speed admitted. "I've been here for a while and I'm not a new face. The reception was excellent - I was pleased and touched by it. I'm glad I could give the fans a much-needed win afterwards.
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"All I can do is get results and then, if there are any doubters, I can win them over."
The main area of weakness he has identified is the same as the one his predecessor Kevin Blackwell revealed here in the summer - the need for more penetration down the flanks.
"We still need to create more, especially at home," said Speed. "I'm aware of it and we'll be working really hard to achieve it. Mark Yeates is a talented player who did well when he came on last Saturday and we could probably do with pushing Jamie Ward up the middle where I feel he will be best for us.
"The wide positions are one area I'm looking at. Overall, though, we are still looking hard to beat. It's better than leaking loads of goals. We can keep a clean sheet and just need to be more potent at the other end."
By ALAN BIGGS
Sheffield United
Gary Speed congratulates Jean Calve on his match-winning debut goal for the Blades at home to Preston last Saturday
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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