<div id="contentmain"><div class="columnholder"><div id="column08"><div id="divFrozen" class="premiumoff"><div class="priemiumbox noborder"><div class="paddingpremium"><div class="leftpremium"><h3>Premium Article !</h3></div> Your account has been frozen. For your available options click the below button.</p>Options </div></div></div><div id="divSubscribe" class="premiumoff"><div class="priemiumbox noborder"><div class="paddingpremium"><div class="leftpremium"><h3>Premium Article !</h3></div> To read this article in full you must have registered and have a Premium Content Subscription with the n/a site.</p>Subscribe </div></div></div><div id="divSignin" class="premiumoff"><div class="priemiumbox noborder"><div class="paddingpremium"><div class="leftpremium"><h3>Registered Article !</h3></div> To read this article in full you must be registered with the site.</p><div class="buttonholder01">Sign In</div><div class="buttonholder01">Register</div></div></div></div><div id="viewarticle"><div id="ds-headline" class="headline"><h1>'Misquoted' Howard's promotion wish for Sheffield United</h1></div> <div class="viewarticlepanel"><div id="MainMultiImage" class="multiimageon"><div id="MainImageDiv"></div><div id="ThumbDiv" class="offinline"><div class="thumb"></div><div class="thumb"></div><div class="thumb"></div><div class="thumb"></div><div class="thumb2"></div></div> <div id="Navigation" class="offinline"><div id="PreviousBlock1" class="off">« Previous </div><div id="PreviousBlock1Inactive" class="off">« Previous</div><div id="NextBlock1" class="off">Next » </div><div id="NextBlock1Inactive" class="off">Next »</div></div><div id="divGalleryLink" class="off noprint">View Gallery</div></div><div><div id="ds-mpuTitleWrapper" class="MPUTitleWrapperClass"><div id="ds-mpuTitle" class="advertisement">ADVERTISEMENT</div><div id="ds-mpu"><div style="display: block" id="mpuholder"><div style="width: 300px; height: 250px" id="WctlDartHtml4" class="dartiframe"></div></div></div></div></div></div><div>Published Date: 16 September 2009 </div><div id="ds-byline" class="byline">By James Shield</div><div id="ds-firstpara" class="ds-firstpara">BRIAN Howard today set the record straight about the reasons behind his departure from Sheffield United.</div><div id="va-bodytext" class="va-bodytext">The midfielder, who left Bramall Lane earlier this month after completing a permanent transfer to Reading, denied criticising manager Kevin Blackwell's tactics and insisted he has no wish to be dragged into a war of words with his former club. To underline his point, Howard revealed there "is nothing more" he would like to see than both teams winning promotion this season. The 26-year-old contacted The Star after a national newspaper claimed he had become frustrated with Blackwell's "long-ball" tactics; a report which provoked a terse response from the United manager before last night's visit to Coventry City. "I don't want any bad blood between myself and the people at United or the supporters either," he countered. "The article portrayed my words very different to what was actually meant and said. "I parted company on very good terms with Kevin Blackwell - we shook hands - and Sam Ellis telephoned me to wish me all the best." Having helped Blackwell's side qualify for May's Championship play-off final, Howard added: "How could I have a go about United's tactics when we finished third in the table and came within 90 minutes of the Premier League? Football isn't about being pretty - it's about winning matches - and that's something really instilled into you at United. Everything boils down to - results - and United are damn good at getting them. "What I did say was that Brendan Rodgers really sold Reading to me and that the way he plays should suit me. United remained fifth in the table despite losing 3-2 at Coventry City last night</div></div></div></div></div>
Has he been misquoted or just squirming out of it? Hasn't he criticised Blackwell to people in Barnsley face to face? All be it when he has had a beer. He may not have said it in that particular interview but it is what he thinks. Or am I wrong? And there would be nothing wrong with criticising them either, bunch of thugs with football to suit.
Sounds like Howard being mischievous to me... From the sounds of things he is only reiterating what he said - talk of winning being more important than being attractive and that being drummed into you at Sheffield United and then to go on and suggested that the more attractive football is more his sort of thing... He knows that he is winding Blackwell and the blunts up. Good for him.
