Southampton boss is unfazed by relegation scrap and wants to keep manager dream alive. With seven games remaining, Southampton is safe by four points. Ruben Selles is partaking in his most memorable job as a director after taking over in February despite Holy People’s battles. A relegation battle with Southampton won’t change the fact that Ruben Selles has worked too hard to give up on his goal of becoming a manager. He says of his first senior management role as the club’s 11-year stay in the Premier League teeters on the brink.
“If it’s given me something, it’s giving me more and more support for my idea to be a manager.”
“Winning or losing, I’ve been in football long enough to know there are certain things you need [to deal with it].
“One is to keep your habits which move you through the motions and make the result a little relative. Do what you can control, analyze, and do what you need to do.”
Southampton boss is unfazed by relegation scrap!
Winless in six games, four points adrift of safety with seven to play, Selles admits:
“It has been desperate from the very first second. We are running out of time.”
But this is what he expected. “To change from assistant manager to manager, whatever league it is, the challenge will always come from a situation that is not the best.”
Opta’s prediction of Southampton playing in the Championship next season has increased to 94% following losses to relegation rivals West Ham and Crystal Palace in recent weeks. The 39-year-old Spaniard is, to a great extent, blameless for the club’s most horrendously terrible Chief Association crusade in their set of experiences. Selles had “never an inch of doubt” that he would succeed Nathan Jones in February and lead the club. His reign started promisingly, with victories over Chelsea and Leicester in two of its first three games. However, their lack of firepower is only one major factor in their demise.
“I would say that as a team, we perform well in big parts of many games, but the first goal goes against us, and only against Tottenham were we able to come back,” said Selles.
If you take the first half of the game against Manchester City, the first part of the game against Crystal Palace, and even against West Ham, you will see the pattern, and what we need to do is be more robust and keep that performance for 90 minutes.
“We know we’re a team that is not scoring many goals, so the defensive solidity is something we need to keep in every game.”
“One of the biggest things has been how to behave in the most complicated moments,” said Selles. “When you are honest and always clear in your message, you can navigate almost anything. That’s a big lesson, not that I didn’t know before, but it’s at the most competitive level.”
Does he take his new job home with him?
“It depends a lot on whether you feel comfortable with yourself. If the game has been a victory but a bad performance, in one way, you lose,” said Selles. “In your analysis, if you see many things, but it’s getting the last bit, you’re calm. That helps you arrive home and be a family man. Sometimes it’s not possible.”
It has been the most difficult challenge of Selles’ career, which began as a fitness coach at Aris Thessaloniki and in the youth system of Valencia. He has since held positions ranging from assistant manager to performance analyst in Greece, Russia, Azerbaijan, Norway, Denmark, Spain, and England.
Selles did not play professionally; he got his UEFA Pro Licence when he was only 25 and had a physical science and sports degree. However, nothing can prepare you for a Premier League relegation battle.
“One of the biggest things has been how to behave in the most complicated moments,” said Selles. “When you are honest and always clear in your message, you can navigate almost anything. That’s a big lesson, not that I didn’t know before, but it’s at the most competitive level.”
Does he take his new job home with him?
“It depends a lot on whether you feel comfortable with yourself. If the game has been a victory but a bad performance, in one way, you lose,” said Selles. “In your analysis, if you see many things, but it’s getting the last bit, you’re calm. That helps you arrive home and be a family man. Sometimes it’s not possible.”
Southampton’s remaining fixtures
- April 21: Arsenal (A) – Premier League, kick-off 8 pm
- April 30: Newcastle (A) – Premier League, kick-off 2 pm
- May 8: Nottingham Forest (A) – Premier League, kick-off 8 pm
- May 13: Fulham (H) – Premier League, kick-off at 3 pm
- May 21: Brighton (A) – Premier League, kick-off 2 pm
- May 28: Liverpool (H) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30 pm