'Who made the call?' - Sheffield United shake-up sparks debate | OneFootball

FLW's Sheffield United fan pundit has given his reaction to reports that assistant manager Alan Knill is set to depart Bramall Lane.

It is set to be a big summer for Sheffield United after a disappointing season in the Championship.

After a nightmare start to the season under Ruben Selles, Sheffield United brought Chris Wilder back to the club for a third spell in charge in September, but while he was able to guide his side away from danger, the expected play-off push failed to materialise.

The Blades eventually finished the season in an underwhelming 13th place, 12 points adrift of the top six, and Wilder made no secret of the fact that he was planning to make "a lot of changes" to his squad this summer.

However, while there is likely to be plenty of turnover within the squad, it seems United's backroom team is also set for an overhaul, with reports emerging on Thursday that Wilder's long-time assistant Alan Knill will be leaving Bramall Lane.

As well as working together during three separate spells with the Blades, Knill has also served as Wilder's assistant at Northampton Town, Middlesbrough and Watford, with their partnership spanning more than 12 years.

The Star initially reported that United's owners had made the call to relieve Knill of his duties, with the decision said to have "come as a shock" to the 61-year-old, but BBC Radio Sheffield's Rob Staton later claimed that his exit is part of a wider shake-up of the coaching staff that will also see first-team coach Guilherme Ramos depart, rather than being driven by the hierarchy.

Sheffield United fan reaction given to surprise Alan Knill exit news

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When asked if it is the right or wrong call to move Knill on, FLW's Sheffield United fan pundit Jimmy, from the YouTube channel Blades Ramble, admitted that he is more concerned about who made the decision, insisting that the owners should not have a say in selecting Wilder's coaching staff.

"I don't think it's as simple as right or wrong call, I think it's who made the call?" Jimmy told FLW.

"We've had conflicting reports that it was an ownership decision and then later reports that it was a wider decision by everybody involved at the club.

"We're hoping it's a wider decision with everybody involved because we don't want the board to make decisions about the assistant manager without including the manager.

"Time will tell whether it is the right or wrong call.

"Historically, Alan Knill has been a huge part of our success, so whether it turns out to be the right call or not, I think we've all got to be very grateful and appreciative of what he gave to our football club."

Alan Knill departure raises fresh Sheffield United fears over COH Sports

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It was just under a year ago that Sheffield United's owners, COH Sports, made the disastrous decision to replace Wilder with Selles, so supporters will understandably be concerned by the suggestion that they have had a hand in Knill's exit.

Knill's departure has certainly come as a surprise to Blades supporters, and many have cast doubt on whether Wilder would have made the decision to part ways with his right-hand man, who he has previously described as "integral" to the club's success over the past decade.

With Knill and Ramos both leaving Bramall Lane, it has been reported that United are preparing to bring in at least one new coach this summer, so it will be intriguing to see how much influence Wilder has over future additions to his backroom team.