How some top managers shaped Chris Wilder's career

That being the case, perhaps it's not surprising that Chris Wilder is going about the job so impressively at Oxford United.

During his playing days at Southampton, Sheffield Uni-ted, Rotherham, Notts County, Bradford, Brighton and Halifax, and at the clubs where he was on loan, Wilder played for some of the top managers in the country.

They read like a Who's Who of British football . . . Lawrie McMenemy, Dave Merring-ton, Billy McEwan, Dave Bassett, Steve Bruce, John Barnwell, Lennie Lawrence, Alan Curbishley and Steve Gritt, Peter Eustace, Phil Henson, Archie Gemmill and John McGovern, Steve Thom-pson, Sam Allardyce, Chris Kamara, Paul Jewell, Ian Atkins, John Reames, Micky Adams, Mark Lillis and Paul Bracewell.

Yorkshire-born Wilder, 41, is very much his own man. But even if he gleaned just a small amount from each boss, subconsciously taking in what they did well and making a mental note of what didn't work with the players, he would have banked a fund of knowledge.

Oxford United goalkeeper Billy Turley joked recently that, so successful has Wilder been with many of his substitutions, that it's been "like the Second Coming!"

It might not last, of course, but the facts are there.

After suffering defeat in his first match in charge, at Salisbury on Boxing Day, Wilder has led the U's on a sensational run of six wins and a draw from the last seven league games.

And it's not just the results that have encouraged fans to believe chairman Kelvin Thomas has picked the right man.

The new manager's dealings in the transfer market have been astute, his tactical awareness and use of subs has been good, and – perhaps most importantly of all – he seems to be a winner.

So, what were the managers like that he played under, and who was the best?

"Possibly one of the most important for me was Lawrie McMenemy when I was an apprentice and young pro at Southampton," he said.

"He gave me the grounding for a lot of things, not just in football, but in life. In my formative years we, as a group of players, learned a lot from the coaching staff and manager.

"Out of the 14 apprentices we had, I think 11 went on to have careers in the game. That speaks volumes for the youth set-up there under Dave Merrington, and the way we were treated.

"Lawrie had a fantastic aura. At one time in the changing room there were four or five England captains – Alan Ball, Mick Channon and Kevin Keegan. Then it went through to Mick Mills and Peter Shilton, and Mark Wright.

"There were some unbelievable players there, like Joe Jordan. It was a fanastic experience for me to start my career off."

However, Wilder was released after five years with the Saints, and he moved back up to south Yorkshire.

He recalled: "I got a free when I was 19, which was a massive setback for me. But I dusted myself down and managed to go to Sheffield United for pre-season. I earned a contract there, and ended up stopping for seven seasons.

"Billy McEwan was the manager at the time. He was trying to build a young side, and people like Peter Beagrie were there. Unfortunately, it didn't quite work out for him.

"Then in came Dave Bassett, who I would think would be one of the biggest influences. I still speak to him now.

"It's amazing, because I think only two players survived the seven years that he was there, and I was one of them.

"I wasn't one of his players and I possibly wasn't his type of player either, but I managed to stay, had two or three promotions, and managed to play in the old first division under him.

"It was all about winning football matches and identifying the players that he wanted, playing to a system that was successful and innovative. He was one of the first people to bring sports scientists into football – he was always looking to find new ideas and new ways.

"I think his record is up there with the best of them in terms of numbers of promotions he had, which is phenomenal.

"He's one I always go to if I need to discuss certain situations, and he's been first class to me.

"The way he set his teams up, his desire to win matches, and the building of team spirit were special.

"Steve Bruce came as player-manager. I didn't play a lot under Steve, and moved the season he came. But when you look at the list of Man Utd players who have gone on to become successful managers, I'm not surprised he's had a fantastic career and in management."

Wilder went on loan to Walsall, Charlton – for two spells – and Leyton Orient during his seven years at Bramall Lane, before joining Rotherham in 1992.

"It was a great time. I was about 24-25 and I had some fantastic times at what was my home-town club, and the club I'd supported as a boy.

"There just comes a time when you need to be playing regular football as well. I was always in the 16 or 17, but I really needed, for myself, to carve out a career.

"In my loan periods, there were three really good, experienced managers that I played under.

"John Barnwell at Walsall and Lennie Lawrence at Charlton were the first two. I was going to go to Charlton permanently, all the paperwork was done, and in a pre-season game I did my ankle ligaments.

"And when I went back, it was Alan Curbishley and Steve Gritt who were the joint-managers.

"Then there was Sam Allardyce at Notts County. Sam was quite quiet, really. But I'm not surprised he's gone on to manage at the highest level. He was another forward-thinker.

"I was moved to Bradford when Sam had only been there a short time.

"Probably the most fiery of all the managers I played under was Archie Gemmill. Followed by Harry (Dave Bassett). I didn't really see the fiery side of Sam, but I did of Archie, because I had quite a lot of games under him at Rotherham."

Later in his career, Wilder played under Paul Jewell at Bradford and Micky Adams at Brighton among others, which included former Oxford boss Ian Atkins at Northampton.

"I went to Northampton for two weeks as it turned out. And there was three weeks at Lincoln, when I was between Sheffield United and Brighton.

"I played under Paul Jewell and Chris Kamara at Bradford when they had a change-over as manager.

"They all played different ways and had different styles, but they all knew the game in terms of what players they wanted and the way they wanted their teams."

Former Sheffield United and Rotherham right back Chris Wilder revealed how a phone call from his dad to Kevin Keegan helped him make up his mind to join Southampton, although from then on it was his own determination which enabled him to carve out a successful career.

Born in Stocksbridge, just outside Sheffield, Wilder is from a footballing family.

"My dad played semi-professional," he said, "and my grandad played as an amateur for Sheffield United. He earned a couple more quid working in the Sheffield steel mills, so I think his wife told him to pack in the football as a profession and continue working in the mills!

"And my uncle played semi-pro, so football's really been with me from day one."

Explaining his move from Yorkshire to The Dell, he said: "I played for Sheffield Boys, and the two Sheffield clubs were both really poor at the time for the youth set-ups.

"Sheffield Schools were really strong. I think the year above us, and the year below us, won the English Schools.

"Sheffield Boys games at under 13, 14 and 15 level were ringed by scouts. Southampton had scouts in the north and, at the time, a lot of those in the team I was in were invited all over the place. I went to Southampton.

"My dad got hold of Kevin Keegan's telephone number – I don't know how he did it – and he was the England captain.

"Keegan told him he wouldn't recommend going anywhere other than Southampton.

"He was a player there and he said 'the people here are fantastic'.

Two years later and Alan Shearer came down from the north-east as well, it was a time when they were bringing lads from all over the country.

"Matt Le Tissier, Francis Benali, Ian Hamilton – the boy who played for West Brom – Phil Parkinson, Craig Maskell were all apprentices there with Dave Merrington, the youth team coach, and Frank Burrows.

"The Dell was a great little ground and some of the things we did, not just football things, were unbelievable. The manager tried to make you a more rounded person.

"Look at young boys now and it's a bit disappointing that some of the values seem to have gone." Although Dave Bassett was a big influence on his career, Chris Wilder says he isn’t specifically copying any of the managers he's played for over the years.

"Ultimately, you can't say you’re going to model myself on any one person," Wilder said.

"You've got to do what you think is right. There will be different scenarios and situations that you come across where you can't ask 'what would he have done?'

"You've got to just do it, and I think you tend to manage on gut instinct anyway a lot of times.

"Ultimately, your own personality shines through.

"My own philosophy is: how would I want to be treated as a player, and off the pitch? And what sort of sessions would I get most benefit from? That's what I've tried to do with my players – being honest with them.

"The best football I've played has been when I've been relaxed, but motivated and stimulated, and that's what we'll try to do with our players.

"It will be enjoyable while they're at Oxford United, but there has to be a means to an end as well. It's all got to be focused on achieving something."

Wilder always does his homework on his team's opponents, so how much of it does he pass on to his team?

He said: "I don't go overkill on firing information at players, but it's good to have a little bit of knowledge on the opposition and I think it's good to work on certain aspects to gain an advantage.

"I'll always talk it over with the assistant manager, and say: ‘look, I'm thinking of doing this, or doing that’.

"Maybe Manchester United, with the array of talent they have at their disposal, can just say 'go out and play', but any other club have got to make sure they do their homework on the opposition.

"Take Altrincham and Lewes. Some people might think they were going to be walk-overs. But whether it's them, or Burton in the most difficult game of the season, you've got to be prepared.

"It will always be varied training, and it will always be looking towards Saturday.

"But it will be enjoyable, and it will be with the ball the majority of times.

"Is my managing style old school or new school? Just my style, really."

Chris Wilder says he was always wanting to learn about the game, and he's always been in love with it.

"When you're a player you think differently, but I always took a great interest in certain situations," he said.

"I always wanted to glean certain information and knowledge from people . . . why did they do this and that?

"But really, players just get on with playing. And when I started my career, everybody was playing 4-4-2. That was it. It wasn't until the last four or five years of my career that everybody started going deep into tactics and formations.

"I always loved watching football, whether it's Eurosport at 2 o'clock in the morning, or Match of the Day at 7.30 on Sunday morning, and I always loved going and watching games.

"I don't get it when players say 'I'm a poor watcher and I can't watch matches unless I'm playing'. I'm not having that. For me, you like football whether it's a kids' game on a Saturday or Sunday morning, or England v Germany in the World Cup."