I thought the press conference today was really interesting and a potentially fascinating couple of weeks is about to unfold. I do not think that the club will sack Selles, but I do think Selles has the potential to walk, and a lot sooner than people think. I have been shot down a couple of times for saying this, but the small signs are there for me at the moment, although small signs they may be.
I thought the press conference today was really good, it showed Selles at his most raw, he seemed genuinely annoyed at the situation, talked more openly and sharply about the situation and let on more than usual:
- Younger players do not have any experience around them to help them grow.
- They knew they needed players before Vin and Moore left, that made it worse.
- He seemed angry that no players will be coming in now before the weekend.
- He gave hints at frustration with players attitudes.
For me, he let on more than ever that he has a job to do and, currently is unable to do it. I really hope this gives him a bit more aggression to make some demands of the board, who I genuinely believe would prefer to dilly and dally. If Selles is letting his frustration show now, it will only get stronger the more time passes and stuff does not get sorted.
I saw a different side to him today, this is a crucial time of growth for him. I personally do not see him as a Manager, I think he is a coach, probably a very good one, but I do not see him as a Manager. His previous interviews sound like he is giving a lecture to a bunch of UEFA B candidates, he talks in coaches language about transitions and passages of play and understanding roles, but he does not strike me as a manager of players. Coaches live in an ideal world and try to work towards getting to that ideal into a team as a much as possible, Managers live in the real world and have to drag idealism into reality, two very different angles.
But right now, the club are making him look like a ‘bit of a twat’. Previously he managed at clubs that would have been grateful for the effort, clubs in trouble and in crisis, no money, embargos etc etc etc. But this is his big break, a chance to become a proper manager and the club are killing him. We have quickly gone from ‘embracing technology’ and ‘being great at integrating young players’ on his recruitment announcement, to ‘young players won’t develop without experience around them’, ‘Championship football is in the top 10 leagues in the world’ and ‘We actually need Championship quality players to come in and we are too slow to get them’ and this marks the shift I have seen.
Selles has come into a club that didn’t really need him, at least half the fans didn’t really see why he was needed (even if they thought a change was needed), that was doing pretty well without him and he was only going to get grief in every moment it looked like we would not be getting 92 points or more this season. But, if anything can be said about him, he isn’t stupid and he would have known this when accepting the job, it would be ludicrous if he thought any different.
I would love to see him change now and now is the perfect moment. If he can turn that frustration into demand and that demand into action, then he can grow, the club can grow and we can get back on track. He has a make or break opportunity to become a ‘proper manager’. If he makes it clear that the current status is unacceptable, that he cannot do a job with what he has been given and if it carries on there is every chance he would move on, then what choice do the club have? In response to the initial thread title, who in their right mind would come to manage a club that spouted AI as being an exciting key to lots of things, that is behind the curve on other clubs in recruitment right now and that would seemingly put profit before the club (my personal opinion on what is happening here, rightly or wrongly).
I seriously hope that we have started to see a new side to Selles, we need that right now !!
