⚔️ The Shoreham Journal - Ruben Selles needs patience, but will he get it?
Chris Wilder's time at Sheffield United is up; welcome to the Ruben Selles era. 🗞️
Hello and welcome to The Shoreham Journal, a free newsletter all about Sheffield United Football Club. In today’s edition, we take a look at Ruben Selles’ appointment and his managerial career to date.
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Selles in, Wilder out ✅
Well, at least we finally know.
Chris Wilder has mutually agreed to leave Sheffield United, with Ruben Selles taking over. During his 300+ games in charge of the Blades, Wilder achieved two promotions, a rare double over Sheffield Wednesday and the 2019 LMA Manager of the Year award over the likes of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.
More importantly, though, he won the hearts and minds of United fans everywhere. As a former player and perennial fan of the club, Wilder understood what made the Blades tick, perhaps better than anyone else. He will go down as one of United’s greatest ever managers.
“To the fans, I'm obviously disappointed to be leaving, particularly because we were so close to getting back to the Premier League,” said Chris Wilder. “I'm a Sheffielder through and through, I love this club and this city, and that feeling will never change. I depart with some cherished memories and feel proud to be talked about in the same manner that special Sheffield United managers are remembered - leading this team over 300 times will remain an incredible part of my life. This is a heartfelt thank you for all your support.”
United have also confirmed that Wilder’s assistant Alan Knill and first-team coach Matt Prestridge have left their roles. The club’s owners, COH Sports, claim the decision to part with Wilder was due to them wanting to set “a new course” of “sustainable success” for the Blades.
“Mind-numbing,” wrote former United striker Carl Asaba on X. “Utterly mind-numbing. All we can hope for is that we have lucky owners; there is nothing logical to support what has just taken place. Forget all the talk of AI; no form of statistically backed intelligence would come up with this change.”
Worryingly, the owners have warned that their new “road ahead may require patience”, suggesting United may not be as competitive again this season. Let’s hope that’s not the case, but you can’t say you haven’t been warned.
COH Sports said: “As owners, please know that we remain unwavering in our goal: to see Sheffield United not only return to the Premier League, but to establish ourselves as a club that can compete consistently at a high level.”
Wilder has been replaced by Selles, the former Southampton, Reading and Hull manager. James Oliver-Pearce will be his assistant at Bramall Lane, while first-team coach Tobias Loveland will also be part of the backroom staff. Both of them worked with Selles at Reading and Hull.
Selles said: “Being here, I remember the times in the Premier League and also playing against the team in the Championship last year, it's a place you can feel the football at the stadium and an environment that is very powerful supporting the players. When we first heard of the possibility to come here, it was a no-brainer for us to join a club with that kind of history and with a mission to move forward and try to be even more competitive.”
Who is Selles? 🇪🇸
There are two ways of looking at Selles.
Pessimists will highlight the fact that two of the three clubs he’s managed have shown him the door. Optimists will see him as a bright, young coach who flourished under difficult circumstances. What camp are you in?
Unlike Wilder, a former right-back for the Blades, Selles never played the game at the professional level. He started his coaching career as a 16-year-old before working with the University of Valencia’s football teams.
Selles worked as a fitness coach with Greek side Aris Thessaloniki and Spanish team Villarreal before becoming an assistant manager in 2010. He took on the latter role at various small teams across Europe, working in countries such as Russia, Spain and Azerbaijan. It’s fair to say he’s well-travelled.
The Spaniard soon progressed up the footballing pyramid, working in first-team coaching roles in Norway, Azerbaijan, and Denmark. He got his break in June 2022 when Ralph Hasenhuttl made him his assistant at Southampton.
Selles became the Saints’ caretaker manager when Hasenhuttl was sacked in November 2022, beating Wednesday, of all teams, in a Carabao Cup penalty shootout. Nathan Jones got the permanent job, but Selles was back in the hot seat three months later when the Welshman was sacked by the Saints.
Selles’ time in charge of Southampton wasn’t successful. He won just two games in charge and was released from his contract at the end of the 2022-23 season, one that ended in relegation from the Premier League.
Yet no one expected Selles to keep the Saints up, as he inherited a team sitting bottom of the table. His next managerial job was even more challenging: he took charge of a Reading team under a transfer embargo following the non-payment of loan wages and tax.
Reading were deducted six points during the 2023-24 season due to their financial problems, but Selles managed to keep them in League One, finishing 17th and well clear of the relegation zone. He left Reading in a strong position, with the club rising to sixth later in the season - an excellent achievement given the circumstances.
Selles left Reading for Hull, joining another club in big trouble. The Tigers were sitting in the Championship’s relegation zone with just three wins to their name. Selles, however, managed to turn things around, keeping Hull up on goal difference thanks to a final-day draw at Portsmouth.
Despite saving the Tigers, Selles was sacked last month. It seemed a staggering decision, but one that ultimately paved his way to Bramall Lane.
And Hull and Reading fans remain fond of Selles, according to the latest Roy’s View From. Replacing Wilder with Selles is a gamble; hopefully, it pays off.
Impact on transfers 👀
As we know, United’s owners are pursuing a data-driven approach in the transfer market. Selles will be expected to get the best out of United’s little-known bargains.
Three wingers have been signed so far: Jefferson Caceres, Ehije Ukaki, and Christian Nwachukwu. The new boss addressed the owners’ approach in his first interview as a United employee.
Selles said: “Nowadays, I think you need to embrace not only the data but also the new technologies. The most important thing, though, don't forget is the football essence. I think we're capable to deliver a good model where we can optimise our performance by using all the tools that we have, and because of my background, I've worked in different roles and I'm capable to understand and put those things together."
One player who won’t be joining the squad is Jimmy Dunne, who was heavily linked with a move to Bramall Lane under Wilder. He was due to become a free agent but has signed a new contract at QPR, with the deal announced around the same time as Wilder’s departure. Coincidence? Probably not.
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Oli McBurnie returning to United also seemed unlikely after Wilder’s departure. The 29-year-old striker is available on a free transfer this summer following Las Palmas’ relegation from La Liga, with Hull and Swansea keen.
But according to The Star, the Blades are still interested in re-signing McBurnie. He’s said to be on a list of targets compiled by James Bord, an ex-poker player who is leading United’s much-talked-about data strategy. Bord is believed to be linked to the club through his statistical company.