Sheffield United: Bash warns against yet another summer of wholesale change

Chris Basham has urged Sheffield United not to make the mistake of tearing-up Nigel Adkins' work and '˜starting afresh' at the end of the season.
Chris Basham says the last thing Sheffield United's squad needs is another summer of wholesale change 
©2016 Sport Image all rights reservedChris Basham says the last thing Sheffield United's squad needs is another summer of wholesale change 
©2016 Sport Image all rights reserved
Chris Basham says the last thing Sheffield United's squad needs is another summer of wholesale change ©2016 Sport Image all rights reserved

Despite admitting the club’s failure to challenge for automatic promotion is the source of bitter frustration behind the scenes, the former Blackpool midfielder insisted another summer of disruption is the last thing the squad needs following its improved results in recent weeks.

Adkins, who became United’s eighth permanent manager since 2007 when he was appointed 10 months ago, described today’s game at Coventry City as a “must-win” fixture as his team attempts to overhaul the four point gap separating themselves from sixth-placed Barnsley.

Chris Basham says Nigel Adkins' message is now hitting home with the squad 
©2016 Sport Image all rights reservedChris Basham says Nigel Adkins' message is now hitting home with the squad 
©2016 Sport Image all rights reserved
Chris Basham says Nigel Adkins' message is now hitting home with the squad ©2016 Sport Image all rights reserved

“I’d be very disappointed if we go back and start all over again,” Basham told The Star. “I know it might be a start afresh season but that doesn’t mean we should be starting the whole project afresh, especially when you’ve seen the football lately.

“The fans have been very protective recently because they’ve seen what we are doing.”

United enter the penultimate game of the 2015/16 campaign unbeaten in five outings and Basham, citing the switch to a 3-5-2 system as the catalyst behind that recent form, added: “At one point this season we thought ‘where are we going now?’ Now, it’s a case of ‘How far can we go with this formation?’ The world could be our oyster really. It excites the players and I don’t go into games feeling as if we’re going to get beat at the moment.

“The lads are excited by what we’re doing and how we’re playing. That runs through the whole group. We really feel as if something is building now and we want to keep it going.”