John Egan on captaining Sheffield United

Originally posted on Sheff United Way | By Jake Staniland | Last updated 9/13/23

John Egan has had a difficult time in his early reign as Sheffield United’s captain this season, after taking on the responsibility when Billy Sharp left the club this summer.

The defence has made several mistakes which have led to goals and some of those were from Egan. But he is determined to improve on his performances.

“I don’t want to stop trying to improve until the day I finish and trying to drive standards around me. We’ve got a lot of experience in the changing room who have that mindset anyway and a lot of leaders in the group.” [Yorkshire Post]

The Republic of Ireland international has been part of an experienced Sheffield United squad in recent years, with many potential captains within the team. Sharp, Oli Norwood, George Baldock and even Oli McBurnie were all deemed captain-worthy.

But last season, it was mainly Egan who wore the armband.

“Having the armband a lot last season gets you used to it. Learning from Billy, he was a fantastic captain. It’s about me doing what I do and the added responsibilities off the field that come with it. It’s something I relish and something I enjoy.

“I’ve been here a long time and I’m very familiar with the club and what it means to play for Sheffield United and what it takes to get the fans off their seats.”

One factor in Egan becoming the full-time captain this term is his availability. The 30-year-old rarely misses a league game. Since joining the Blades back in the summer of 2018, he has made over 220 appearances, missing out on just 12 league games across five seasons [Transfermarkt].

United are yet to keep a clean sheet this campaign and it was a formidable defence in the 19/20 season which gave the team a platform to build on, which Egan commanded. The defence must step up if they want any chance of a result against in-form Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

This article first appeared on Sheff United Way and was syndicated with permission.

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