A lot of what I'm about to say has probably been picked up in other threads, but I don't know that there's one that really captures it all.
Ruben Selles has clearly been a disastrous appointment. I think it was well-intentioned, with an eye to the future, but one that hasn't worked out. Whilst Selles himself was probably out of his depth, his appointment was only one part of a series of changes that needed to be made, in relation to overall strategy, management and coaching structure, recruitment etc. That none of the other changes happened, probably meant that, whomever the coach was, they'd have struggled, to a greater or lesser degree. I was a supporter of moving on from Wilder; as was said on the late, lamented Bladespod, the new approach had a higher ceiling, but also perhaps a lower floor. Sadly, it's the latter of those two predictions which has come to pass. Doesn't necessarily mean that the vision was wrong; however, clearly, the strategy and execution underpinning it was deeply flawed.
So, Selles' position became untenable and he was dismissed. But is going back to Wilder really the best we can do? I have mixed feelings on this. I think that it's unquestionably the safest thing we can do. He's only been out of the building for five minutes, so will be able to pick up where he left off. He does seem to be able to inspire a team (though interestingly, it only seems to work with United, as his other body of work is underwhelming), and I think that the threat of relegation is eliminated by his return.
But...
Really? Wilder? Is he really the best possible option for the club? Is there really no way to move on? People wax lyrical about how he "gets" the club, how he's "one of our own" and all that tosh, when none of that seems to matter when we're talking about professional players, paid to do a job to the best of their ability. What does it even mean, to "get" the club? What makes SUFC apparently uniquely ungettable by other managers, coaches or owners? I'm genuinely curious. I understand that Wilder has a special place in the club's history, and that he's been canonised by an appreciable proportion of the fanbase. But, sooner or later, for one reason or another, he'll have to move on. What then? I've seen, in these threads, Billy Sharp and Chris Basham cited as possible replacements. Again: really? Is Bladey-bladeness in a coach all we can reasonably aspire to? These are club legends - but with zero coaching experience. On paper at least, Selles would be a better hire!
Like I said, I think Wilder will get us out of this mess. But as fans of a club that will endure long after Wilder, we should be looking for evidence of the next step and the one after that. We need a club and a process that is not in thrall to one man. Everyone cites Brighton as the model for a well run club. Their managers and players are regularly picked off... and it doesn't matter, because they have underlying strategy and clarity of purpose. I very much hope that one thing that comes out of this debacle is that a deeply experienced football director (not CW! That would have echoes of Putin oscillating between president and PM) is appointed, who will figure out what we want to be, what we need to get there - and then start working through it.
Ruben Selles has clearly been a disastrous appointment. I think it was well-intentioned, with an eye to the future, but one that hasn't worked out. Whilst Selles himself was probably out of his depth, his appointment was only one part of a series of changes that needed to be made, in relation to overall strategy, management and coaching structure, recruitment etc. That none of the other changes happened, probably meant that, whomever the coach was, they'd have struggled, to a greater or lesser degree. I was a supporter of moving on from Wilder; as was said on the late, lamented Bladespod, the new approach had a higher ceiling, but also perhaps a lower floor. Sadly, it's the latter of those two predictions which has come to pass. Doesn't necessarily mean that the vision was wrong; however, clearly, the strategy and execution underpinning it was deeply flawed.
So, Selles' position became untenable and he was dismissed. But is going back to Wilder really the best we can do? I have mixed feelings on this. I think that it's unquestionably the safest thing we can do. He's only been out of the building for five minutes, so will be able to pick up where he left off. He does seem to be able to inspire a team (though interestingly, it only seems to work with United, as his other body of work is underwhelming), and I think that the threat of relegation is eliminated by his return.
But...
Really? Wilder? Is he really the best possible option for the club? Is there really no way to move on? People wax lyrical about how he "gets" the club, how he's "one of our own" and all that tosh, when none of that seems to matter when we're talking about professional players, paid to do a job to the best of their ability. What does it even mean, to "get" the club? What makes SUFC apparently uniquely ungettable by other managers, coaches or owners? I'm genuinely curious. I understand that Wilder has a special place in the club's history, and that he's been canonised by an appreciable proportion of the fanbase. But, sooner or later, for one reason or another, he'll have to move on. What then? I've seen, in these threads, Billy Sharp and Chris Basham cited as possible replacements. Again: really? Is Bladey-bladeness in a coach all we can reasonably aspire to? These are club legends - but with zero coaching experience. On paper at least, Selles would be a better hire!
Like I said, I think Wilder will get us out of this mess. But as fans of a club that will endure long after Wilder, we should be looking for evidence of the next step and the one after that. We need a club and a process that is not in thrall to one man. Everyone cites Brighton as the model for a well run club. Their managers and players are regularly picked off... and it doesn't matter, because they have underlying strategy and clarity of purpose. I very much hope that one thing that comes out of this debacle is that a deeply experienced football director (not CW! That would have echoes of Putin oscillating between president and PM) is appointed, who will figure out what we want to be, what we need to get there - and then start working through it.
. 
