Blackwell rues Blades crisis

11th March 2010

Sheffield United manager Kevin Blackwell has claimed the current crisis at Bramall Lane is "a worse situation than when I was at Leeds".

The Blades, four points off the play-offs in ninth place, have lost three of their last four matches and went down to their seventh successive away defeat in the Championship on Tuesday when they also lost four more players to injury.

Blackwell, in charge at Leeds for two seasons following their relegation from the Premier League in 2004, said: "This is the life of a football manager. It's a mental battle and at the moment that's working out how to deal with so many new players who we are still getting to know.

"It's a worse situation than when I was at Leeds because at least the 24 we brought in all came in one go over the summer and we were able to work through with them.

"Here, it has been a continual, disruptive process that keeps having to be addressed and it does nothing for continuity."

Blackwell added: "If you're a manager you have to accept that. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that we have been dealt a lot of problems and, in fact, to be where we are is a phenomenal achievement by the players, but some fans won't accept it."