Oli McBurnie opens up on return plan after highlighting key Sheffield United weapon for Sunderland play-off final
Oli McBurnie is backing his former club Sheffield United to get back to the promised land of the Premier League this weekend - before a crucial summer in the Scottish international’s own future. The Blades take on Sunderland at Wembley in an eagerly-anticipated play-off final at Wembley.
Victory under the Wembley arch would see United return to the top-flight at the first time of asking after relegation last term, and cap a remarkable season that saw them win 92 points but miss out on automatic promotion to centurions Leeds United and Burnley.
McBurnie, who left the Blades last summer after the expiry of his contract, will be on duty with current club Las Palmas away at Espanyol and so cannot make the journey to Wembley to cheer on his former side and manager, Chris Wilder. But he has kept a keen eye on United’s fortunes this season and is backing them to get the job done against the Black Cats.
“I’m really excited for the boys,” the 28-year-old said. “Whenever I've had chance to watch the games this season, I’ve been really impressed. It was a tough off season in the summer, and the manager and the staff and the boys deserve a lot of credit for getting into this position.
“I’ve watched when I can and fully confident in the boys at the weekend, there’s some big characters who’ve been there and done it before and hopefully that experience carries them through at the weekend.”
Boss Wilder initially wanted to keep McBurnie at Bramall Lane but the ongoing takeover bid scuppered those hopes, and meant that United signed off their pre-season campaign without the squad in place that Wilder had hoped. But some eventually arrived, including goalkeeper Michael Cooper, and the Blades went from strength-to-strength.
“No-one really knew what was going to happen in the summer and it’s testament to the manager and players and staff,” added McBurnie, speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield. “Give them all the credit in the world. With the turnover in the summer I don’t think many would have predicted them to go on and get 90 points.
“They recruited really well, and the manager has shown once again how good of a manager he is and how he gets the maximum out of a dressing room. When you play for him, he gives you that motivation to go and run through a brick wall and you can see that in the boys’ performances this year.
“One of the strongest parts of his game is knowing how to get the best out of boys in certain situations. He’ll know who he needs t challenge and who needs an arm around the shoulder, to go and get 100 per cent out of them all. He needed to give me a kick up the backside sometimes and different things for other boys. He’ll know which buttons to press to get the best.”
McBurnie moved to Spain with the intention of keeping Las Palmas in La Liga but they have not managed to stay in the top-flight, with a relegation release clause in the striker’s contract now kicking in amid reports of a return to England. Hull City and Swansea City, his former club, have been mooted as potential destinations.
“We didn’t reach our goal this season and we didn’t manage to stay up, so my contract has gone from three years to up again,” McBurnie confirmed. “So I’m a free agent. I just need to get home and spend some time with the family.
“It’s been lovely being out here but at the same time it’s also hard being away from the family so much. I’ll talk it over with the missus, and talk about what we want to do.”
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