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Boss Wilder ‘thrown under the bus’ by Sheffield United’s crazy owners It was painful to watch Chris Wilder navigate, albeit skilfully, his media briefing ahead of Sheffield United’s Championship goalless draw at Swansea City. The cowboys who run the club have blown a big hole in his carefully planned strategy for this season. All due to their appalling behaviour which has reached a new low. Only serving to make his job even more difficult as the summer transfer window draws towards a close early next week. The season is barely up and running, but it already looks like mid-table frustration is on the cards. Or worse. Last week Wilder said another 13th-placed finish would be unacceptable. While the sentiment remains, he may soon have to start revising his expectation. Thrown under the bus is an idiom often used by the Blades boss. As in, ‘I’m not trying to throw anyone under the bus, but….’ Well, on this occasion, there was no doubt who was the victim. Wilder tried manfully to deal with questions he is clearly not in a position to answer during a Press conference dominated by the dodgy dealings of the unscrupulous pair who pay his wages, Steven Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy. The man better qualified to front up, chief executive Stephen Bettis, was, as usual, nowhere to be seen. A case of clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you. It didn’t need the assistance of Mystic Meg to work out what the topic of conversation was going to be. But still, it was left for Wilder alone to field an avalanche of questions which have very little to do with his remit as team manager. Wilder is expected to be a one-size-fits-all communications spokesman to fill the void left by those cowards upstairs who operate from behind a sofa. Bettis, supposedly the UK-based voice of the club’s media-shy owners, should be ashamed of himself. As should they. Wilder faced an inquisition from a friendly, local media who were nonetheless doing their job, something the Blades boss acknowledged. “Ask the questions, I get it,” he said, “but I think out of respect for my job and the difficulties that is on that situation, I need to fully focus. I can't get distracted by anything.” He added: “I’ve been briefed by the owners. There's a statement gone out and that's enough for me.” Unfortunately, it isn’t enough for the horrified fanbase – or, in truth, for him. We would all have loved to be a fly on the wall during that briefing. Neither is it enough for the players, who Wilder revealed have voiced concern. So much so, that he made a point of praising their focus in south Wales, after another uninspiring fixture. United’s owners have been self-confirmed as the charlatans a growing number of Blades supporters suspected they were. It took just ten seconds. Yes, really. Just ten seconds for a High Court ruling to wind up COH Sports Bidco, the company created to purchase United. The legal action was former owner Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s last resort. The Saudi is pursuing the £35million he is still owed after selling to the American con-men, as it turns out, in December 2024 for between £100m and £110m. Rosen and Eltoukhey were not present at the London hearing last week and no defence was offered to what, at that juncture, were still allegations. So guilty as charged. Rosen may even have to stand aside whatever the repercussions. In 2023, he was a director of a US medical manufacturer, Invacare, that filed for bankruptcy. Now the subject of two insolvency events, EFL regulations means he is likely to be forced to stand down and reduce his shareholding. The EFL and the Independent Football Regulator are doing a deep dive into the circumstances which have led to talk of a points' deduction up to a maximum of 12. Other sanctions are possible if the misdeeds of Rosen and Eltoukhy spill over the boundary which separates corporate misconduct to gaining a sporting advantage. It is difficult to envisage how such punishment can be avoided if they are effectively £35m better off, especially as the crafty owners, and under cover, recently transferred all shares in United from COH Sports Bidco, to a new company, 1919 Partners LLC. A nifty manoeuvre Abdullah called out as a vehicle to avoid paying him what he is owed. Something the Americans deny. But after what happened last week, it would seem a perfectly reasonable conclusion. United’s chaotic dealings in last summer’s transfer window are well documented. That and the sacking of Wilder destroyed the season before it had even begun. The damage was already done when he was reappointed in September. Now the USS enterprise is at it again and the star trek is moving out of Bramall Lane, not in. Although if striker Tom Cannon, wanted by Paul Heckingbottom’s Preston North End, were to follow Gus Hamer and Andre Brooks through the revolving door for a fraction of his £10m cost, many Blades fans would regard that as good business. An indication of the market Wilder is now forced to trawl, is reflected in reports that 31-year-old free agent Adam Webster has been training at Shirecliffe wth a view to joining the club. The central defender is well thought of at Brighton where his career came to a sudden halt during a training camp last summer. Anterior cruciate ligament damage ruled him out for the whole of last season and his contract was not renewed at the end of June. A leader, and with plenty of Premier League experience, Webster, when fit, matches the job description. But just like loanee Kalvin Phillips, that’s a big gamble. It is clear to see now, how from the start, those numpties from across the pond have undermined Wilder’s much talked about rebuild. Taking him for a mug in the knowledge that they are not in the financial position they purport to be. Hence, presumably, their disastrous attempt to pull a financial fast one that has cast a dark shadow over the club. It’s now easier to understand the lack of recruitment, Jairo Riedewald, aside, two loan signings and a free transfer, since the window opened ten weeks ago. It closes in 15 days. Wilder’s hopes of finding two quality central defenders and a left-sided midfielder to fill the boots of Hamer looks a fantasy. Mix and make-do is the way forward, as illustrated by the interest in Adams. Unbeknown to the manager until recently, it probably always has been. “The situation at present is that we're looking in the loan market, and I will continue to do that. If that changes, then that changes, and then we'll look at a different group of players,” said a pragmatic-sounding Wilder. But he admitted: “It obviously doesn't make it any easier to attract players to the football club. I think everybody understands, that when there's something like this happening in the background, there's always talk regarding the players about the ambition of the club.” So short-term filling of potholes rather than building a squad for the future. United, in their first Championship season without parachute payments since 2018-19, don’t even appear to be willing to leverage any of the estimated £14million from the sale of Hamer or the surprise departure of Brooks. Talk of spending money to bring Leicester City’s giant defender and former loanee, Harry Souttar, back to the club is now for the fairies. “A bid is in there,” said Wilder. “I should imagine that'll stay there.” Too right. Another former central defender Anel Ahmedhodjic, sold to Feyenoord for £15m last summer, was reported to be available. The Swedish-born former Bosnian international was said to be open to a return to Bramall Lane, although wages would have always been a sticking point. Feyenoord bought him in staged payments, so United, still owed money from the Dutch club, had an opportunity to land him for a minimal fee. As far as we know, no attempt was made. Salary, of course, may have been an issue, but the 27-year-old has just signed a four-year deal at Championship rivals Burnley who are believed to have paid £7m. Wilder, meanwhile, continues to operate with both hands tied behind his back. He has been here before. That ended with a complete breakdown of his relationship with former owner Abdullah. Wilder believed at the time that his position was untenable and chose to walk away. But it’s unlikely he will do that again. “The biggest regret for me personally was the situation and how that unfolded when I first left the football club,” he said. Adding: “I was in a different place then,” and “I should have stayed.” After last week’s disappointing goalless draw in the Championship opener against Birmingham City at the Lane, I caught sight of Rosen and Eltoukhy at Tibshelf services on the M1 near Chesterfield. Rosen, wearing a Sheffield United-branded cap, was sitting, chewing on a McDonald's burger, whilst the taller, much fitter looking Eltoukhy, stood like a schoolboy by his side. Gone before I could reach them in the faint hope of landing an interview, among a crowd of Birmingham fans gathered around said McDonald’s. It struck me that here I was, a season ticket holder of 55 years, on yet another 430-mile round trip to watch the club I hold dear, come rain or shine. My case is not the norm in terms of distance, but it is when it comes to loyalty. I am one of many thousands of genuine supporters, young, old and in between, all deeply concerned about owners who appear, through their arrogance and stupidity, to have been trashing the club from the get-go. And there they were. Two nondescript, but nevertheless wealthy figures, in the midst of playing a game of high stakes poker, with no respect for the rules and Sheffield United’s future dangling on a string. The Blades have had some questionable custodians over the years, but nothing like this. These two clowns have set the bar to a record low. And by some margin.