Paul Heckingbottom: Sheffield United boss rues 'financial, not football decisions'
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Burnley 5-0 Sheffield United: Heckingbottom 'let down' by one or two Sheff Utd players
Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom says the club are suffering after making "financial rather than football decisions" to sell key players in the summer.
The Blades are bottom of the Premier League after losing 5-0 to fellow strugglers Burnley on Saturday.
Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge were sold after last season's Championship promotion campaign.
"I wanted to keep the group together but we couldn't," Heckingbottom said.
"We couldn't because of the last few years and the financial implications. If we'd tied them down [on longer contracts] then we probably wouldn't have sold those players.
"There wasn't a desire from the ownership to sell, but a necessity from a business point of view. We've been making financial decisions rather than football decisions. Of course that affects me. I didn't want it to happen."
Burnley, who were promoted with the Blades, spent more than £90m in the summer - including the signing of Berge.
Sheffield United have lost to relegation rivals in consecutive weekends, having fallen 3-1 to Bournemouth, who are now 16th, a week earlier.
"In terms of other clubs, good luck to them," Heckingbottom said. "Bournemouth last week - you go through the last four windows and we've been cutting the wage bill, transfer embargoes, selling the best assets, and they've spent £200m.
"We're going to face this every week, but so what? We have to embrace the challenge of this league. The players have worked hard to be here. It's not going to change. It's just an excuse, a reason to fail."
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