
Former Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has taken the unexpected step of complimenting Leeds United, manager Marcelo Bielsa and the club’s supporters.
During his time in charge at Bramall Lane, Wilder built up a fierce rivalry with Leeds after the Blades pipped their Yorkshire rivals for promotion to the Premier League in the 2018/19 season. At the end of that campaign Wilder labelled Leeds players Adam Forshaw and Patrick Bamford ‘muppets’ and received a huge backlash from the Whites’ supporters.
But while Sheffield United won the battle, Leeds won the war as they stormed to the Championship title the following season before consolidating themselves in the top flight. The Blades on the other hand were relegated from the Premier League last season with Wilder departing before the end of the season.
But despite the animosity of recent seasons, Wilder was surprisingly complimentary about Leeds and manager Bielsa during his recent appearance on Sky Sports and even suggested that the rest of the Premier League were lucky that no supporters were allowed in Elland Road last season.
He said: “I think a few teams got away with it last year, not playing at a packed Elland Road, because I know we’ve had a couple of positive results there and I know how difficult it is to get a result and how passionate they are and the backing that they gave their players.
“Leeds United, even though I haven’t got the best of relationships with because I left a bit on a couple of their players, I’ve still got an awful amount of respect for Marcelo and what he’s achieved.
“I’m sure that place will be definitely rocking this season.”
