Gary Speed confirmed as Sheffield United boss
Football League Championship club Sheffield United have confirmed the appointment of Gary Speed as their new manager.
Speed has been promoted from first-team coach and has signed a three-year contract. The 40-year-old was appointed after Kevin Blackwell was sacked in the wake of the Blades’ 3-0 league defeat to Queens Park Rangers at the weekend.
The former Everton, Newcastle United and Wales player spoke of his delight at winning his first manager’s job and said it was “too good an opportunity to turn down”. He told the club’s website that: "It is a great opportunity I have been given to manage this fantastic football club, which has such a great history and tradition. In an ideal world it would have happened in different circumstances and I owe an awful lot to Kevin Blackwell, I learned a lot from him and it was sad how things came to an end at the weekend. Despite that, this is too good an opportunity to turn down and I would have never forgiven myself if I hadn't given it a shot.”
Approach by Swansea
Speed retired from playing last season to take up his coaching role. He was the subject of an approach by Swansea earlier in the summer to take up their then vacant manager’s position but that advance was knocked back by Sheffield United.
The club’s chief executive Trevor Birch was pleased to unveil Speed as the new manager. He said that "we have moved decisively and quickly to appoint the right man to take Sheffield United forward. He has exciting plans for the club and we will do everything within our power to back him."
Speed has work to do if he is to turn the club’s fortunes around. They are currently languishing in 23rd place in the Championship after the defeat to QPR and a draw with Cardiff in the opening fixture. They have also been dumped out of the Carling Cup by League One outfit Hartlepool in the first round.
Tags: