Warnock U-turn over McCall role

By Neil Foster

SHEFFIELD UNITED midfielder Stuart McCall will assist Neil Warnock with some first-team coaching duties next season.

The 39-year-old had been offered a new one-year deal at Bramall Lane - but just as a player.

Now Warnock has changed his mind and offered the former Scottish international a player-coach role at the club, following the departure of former coach Kevin Blackwell to Leeds United.

He told the club's official website: "I've re-appraised the whole coaching set-up since Kevin has left and I feel it is now the right time for Stuart to push on and take a bit more responsibility.

"But I have stressed to him how vital it is for him to concentrate on the playing side for the first couple of months of the season."

McCall helped out with some reserve team coaching duties last term but is expected to concentrate on first-team affairs in the forthcoming season.