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Phil Parkinson believes Wanderers can play on the promotion frustration which has built up at Sheffield United for six years.
Relegated from the Championship in 2011, the Blades have been through five managers and a rolling procession of players in their search to return to the second tier.
They are in a good position to succeed this time around, recovering from losing three of their first four games under new boss Chris Wilder to lose just twice more in the intervening six months.
But the Blades have led from the front before and know only too well the pain of being reeled in by the chasing pack.
Parkinson, at the helm at neighbouring Bradford for much of that time, knows what an inhospitable place Bramall Lane can be to visit. But, equally, the Whites boss feels the weight of expectation on the Blades to make this their year could work in his own team’s favour.
“Conditions in the first half at Bradford are going to be similar to the ones we face at Sheffield United. It will be a full house, and intense atmosphere,” he told The Bolton News.
“The difference is one of expectancy.
“When you are in a position like Sheffield United at the top of the league, at a club who have been down here for six seasons now, there is a tension.
“There is an underlying frustration which can – in the right circumstances – make it difficult for the home players to play.
“That is obviously our job. We need to be better than we were early on at Valley Parade and if we can quieten that crowd down then we know we are doing something right. I think if we start the game like we finished the last one there is no reason at all why we can’t beat the odds and get a result.”
Parkinson admits there is pressure on his own club to make a return to the Championship at the first time of asking.
Leading from the front is not something Wanderers have been accustomed to in recent years but with the fans relishing a promotion chase, the manager hopes his squad can adopt the same attitude.
“I have a group of players, many of whom have played in the Championship or above, and others who want to be there. They should be desperate to play in this sort of game,” he said.
“There is pressure. I don’t see anything wrong with it. At the start of the season this is the position we wanted to be in.”
Source
Relegated from the Championship in 2011, the Blades have been through five managers and a rolling procession of players in their search to return to the second tier.
They are in a good position to succeed this time around, recovering from losing three of their first four games under new boss Chris Wilder to lose just twice more in the intervening six months.
But the Blades have led from the front before and know only too well the pain of being reeled in by the chasing pack.
Parkinson, at the helm at neighbouring Bradford for much of that time, knows what an inhospitable place Bramall Lane can be to visit. But, equally, the Whites boss feels the weight of expectation on the Blades to make this their year could work in his own team’s favour.
“Conditions in the first half at Bradford are going to be similar to the ones we face at Sheffield United. It will be a full house, and intense atmosphere,” he told The Bolton News.
“The difference is one of expectancy.
“When you are in a position like Sheffield United at the top of the league, at a club who have been down here for six seasons now, there is a tension.
“There is an underlying frustration which can – in the right circumstances – make it difficult for the home players to play.
“That is obviously our job. We need to be better than we were early on at Valley Parade and if we can quieten that crowd down then we know we are doing something right. I think if we start the game like we finished the last one there is no reason at all why we can’t beat the odds and get a result.”
Parkinson admits there is pressure on his own club to make a return to the Championship at the first time of asking.
Leading from the front is not something Wanderers have been accustomed to in recent years but with the fans relishing a promotion chase, the manager hopes his squad can adopt the same attitude.
“I have a group of players, many of whom have played in the Championship or above, and others who want to be there. They should be desperate to play in this sort of game,” he said.
“There is pressure. I don’t see anything wrong with it. At the start of the season this is the position we wanted to be in.”
Source