Chris Wilder has revealed that Middlesbrough ticked all his boxes as a club after agreeing to become their new manager.
In what seemed to be a sudden turn of events, Neil Warnock was relieved of his duties as Boro boss just minutes after his side gained a 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.
Rumours were rife earlier in the day that Warnock's job was on the line if his side lost to the Baggies but a point wasn't enough anyway as the veteran manager was told pre-match that he was to be replaced.
Boro chairman Steve Gibson already had his replacement in the form of Wilder lined-up - a man who has been out of work since March after departing Sheffield United with the Blades' relegation from the Premier League almost a given at that point.
The 54-year-old has been biding his time to get back into a job and he's been linked to many vacancies over the months, but he's settled on the Teessiders and he has explained why a 'massive' club like Boro are the perfect fit for him.
"I’m delighted to be given the opportunity and thankful that the chairman has shown a lot of trust in myself and my staff to hopefully build for the future in what is historically a great club," Wilder said in his first interview with the club (quotes from TeessideLive).
“I think the next fit was the most important one of my whole career personally. I had to get it right.
“I’ve had some offers in the past six months from various football clubs.
“The top and bottom of it is, it had to right for myself and Middlesbrough ticks the boxes that I needed to be ticked for my career going forward personally.
“I do feel I deserve the opportunity after what I’ve achieved at Sheffield United with a great group of players, staff and supporters.
“I feel I deserved the opportunity to work at another big club off the back of that, and for me, they don’t come much bigger than Middlesbrough in the Championship.”
The Verdict
Considering what he did two seasons ago at Bramall Lane and the stellar work he's done in the EFL over the years, Wilder is a very ambitious and exciting appointment for Boro.
It's never nice to see a manager lose their job and there may be criticisms over how it was done by Gibson and how it seems as though Wilder had been lined up for weeks, but with Warnock leaving at the end of the season regardless the club can now move forward and progress.
Wilder did fall out with the Sheffield United board before he departed due to the transfer policy of the club, and he will have to work under a director of football again in Kieran Scott.
But he wouldn't have taken the job if he thought there was going to be a problem and fans can look forward to hopefully more prosperous times than the last few years have been.