MX23RW : Wednesday, April 24 08:11:17| >> :120:64000:64000:

Paul Heckingbottom admits frustrations over ill-fated Leeds stint

Paul Heckingbottom admits frustrations over ill-fated Leeds stint
© Reuters
The 43-year-old had a four-month spell in charge at Elland Road.

Sheffield United interim boss Paul Heckingbottom has revealed his frustration at not being given more time as Leeds manager.

Heckingbottom will return to Elland Road for the first time on Saturday since he was sacked in June 2018 after only four months in the job to make way for the appointment of Marcelo Bielsa.

The 43-year-old, in charge of the Blades until the end of the season following Chris Wilder's departure just before the international break, admitted he would have liked to have been given longer at Leeds but insists he has no hard feelings about what happened.

"Of course I was frustrated. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't," said Heckingbottom.

"I still speak to the ownership there, there's no ill feeling. Right club, wrong time for myself and that's how I look at it.

Heckingbottom speaks positively about his short spell at Elland Road, where he laid some of the foundations for Bielsa's success.

He could see the club was ambitious to return to the Premier League and thinks Bielsa gave them the "shake-up" they needed.

"Lots of things I took from it were positive and I think they would say the same thing about my time there as well if they are totally honest about it," said Heckingbottom.

"From the outside, you just see the bits on the pitch, the bits in the media, but there's lots of work going on behind the scenes – a lot of the best work you do is behind the scenes that no-one is able to see.

"I still speak to them and I still keep in contact and it will be nice to see a few familiar faces at the weekend.

"He (Bielsa) has done great. The biggest thing for me there was a good energy about the place, really good intentions to be successful, it just needed some direction, making the squad leaner, the staff leaner.

"There were a lot of things connected to the club had gone through a tough time and didn't have the energy to take it forward.

"The club did need a shake-up, without a doubt, and that's what it's been given.

"Even then you saw how difficult it is and it still took a while to get there. Luckily for Leeds, they got there and they want to keep building on that."

Heckingbottom is hoping John Egan will be fit enough to return to the squad at Leeds.

The 28-year-old has been sidelined since suffering a dislocated toe in the defeat at West Ham on February 15 but he is back in training and close to making a comeback.

However, fellow central defender Chris Basham is out having been unable to train since sustaining an injury in the build-up to the FA Cup defeat at Chelsea prior to the international break.

Enda Stevens is expected to be available, despite the wing-back being ruled out of the Republic of Ireland's match this week, while club captain Billy Sharp (muscle injury) is thought to be out for around another two weeks.

ID:441524: cacheID:441524:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4445:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Sheffield United's John Egan is stretchered off after sustaining an injury in February 2021
Read Next:
John Egan back in training for Sheffield United
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leicester CityLeicester443041086394794
2Leeds UnitedLeeds44279880374390
3Ipswich TownIpswich432611685533289
4Southampton442591085612484
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4420121267442372
6Norwich CityNorwich442191477611672
7Hull City431812136254866
8Coventry CityCoventry4217121366521463
9Middlesbrough44189176460463
10Preston North EndPreston44189175661-563
11Cardiff CityCardiff44195205061-1162
12Bristol City441611175147459
13Sunderland44168205251156
14Swansea CitySwansea441511185762-556
15Watford441217155958153
16Millwall441411194355-1253
17Stoke CityStoke441311204460-1650
18Queens Park RangersQPR441311204157-1650
19Blackburn RoversBlackburn441310215874-1649
20Plymouth ArgylePlymouth441212205869-1148
21Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds44138233968-2947
22Birmingham CityBirmingham441210224864-1646
23Huddersfield TownHuddersfield44917184774-2744
RRotherham UnitedRotherham44412283285-5324


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!