Chris Wilder is reported keen on becoming Queens Park Rangers‘ next manager and Ethan Laird would surely flourish under the former Sheffield United boss at Loftus Road.
According to The Sun, the 55-year-old has thrown his hat in the ring as the Hoops look to appoint a successor to Michael Beale, who made the move to Rangers earlier this week after an impressive start to life as a manager with QPR.
Wilder was recently sacked by Middlesbrough after a difficult spell at the Riverside but boasts an impressive CV, which includes three promotions and two title wins with Northampton Town and Sheffield United respectively.
Steve McLaren hailed the work Wilder did with Sheffield United during his time as QPR boss, saying:
“I said ‘how are you doing and everything’ and he said ‘we’re a team which needs to be 100 per cent, every player, every week. If we are 99 per cent or 98, we lose games. We need to be 100 per cent.’
“And what he’s doing, he’s getting 100 per cent – it’s phenomenal – (first) in the Championship and now in the Premier League.”
During his time with the Blades, Wilder won a lot of plaudits for his 3-5-2 formation, which featured aggressive wing-backs and overlapping centre-backs.
Should QPR hire Wilder?
Should he arrive at QPR, he could definitely attempt to try and replicate that, which could be of huge benefit to Manchester United loanee, Laird.
Since joining from the Red Devils in the summer, the 21-year-old has gone on to make 17 appearances, in which he has contributed one goal and two assists, averaging a solid 6.79 rating from WhoScored.
The youngster already has nine assists to his name in a relatively short senior career, and with WhoScored suggesting that he excels at playing key passes and dribbling, it seems clear that he can be a huge threat in the final third.
Laird’s current average of just 0.8 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per game suggest that he is not being utilised as effectively as he could be, but Wilder could get the best out of him by pushing him into a more attacking wing-back position.
The defender has already been dubbed “outstanding” by goalkeeper Seny Dieng for his performances with QPR but he could really explode under Wilder in a more advanced position.
Given the former Sheffield United boss’ impressive CV and the impact he could have on Laird, Lee Hoos should definitely consider Wilder as QPR search for a replacement for Beale.
