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Rubén Sellés Salvador. The 5th man - article written by Mark Walmsley
Elaine Gutherless6 Dec 2024 - 20:02
Welcome to our new manager……..
The 41 year old Spaniard from Valencia and now former manager of Reading FC is the 5th man to be appointed as Manager / Head Coach under Acun's employ since he took over the club in January of 2022 just about 3 years, to the month ago. The first was the existing incumbant from the Allam days, Grant McCann who was let go almost immediately to make way for Acun's two and a half year deal man and preffered replacement, Shota Arveladze, the Georgian striker in his playing days. However, just months into the season he proved to be a rabbit in headlights, sitting 20th in the league after 4 consecutive defeats, Acun made his second sacking decision of his ownership and Shota was duely dismissed.
Call up number one for coach and former city player Andy Dawson to take the temorary reigns of the club as Acun searched for manager number 3. After 32 days in the hot seat, Daws was stood down as Liam Rosenior, another former player with 144 apearances under his belt for The Tigers took over in early Novemember just in time for the flurry of games over Christmas and New Year when we needed stability more than ever. An interesting fact is that when we signed Liam as a player, we took him from Reading also.
Liam fared rather better than his predessor taking City to 7th place and 70 points at the top of the Championship, missing out by just one place for the play off rounds but even so it didn't stop the shock that rattled around the fan base as Acun chose to part ways with his third manager after the last game of the season who had served 16 months in post and signed a new 3 year contract just 5 months earlier. After a long closed season and yet another search Acun had hunted down his 4th manager in the shape of big German, Tim Walter who was seconded from a 3 year stint at Hamburg SV in the second tier of the German League. I don't need to go into chapter and verse about "Walterball" and the miserable football we were served or the 17% win ratio that robbed us of seeing goals but once again the axeman was summonsed by the ever continueing drop in form and slide down the table giving Acun very little choice than to once again, give his 4th manager his marching orders which was a brisk Auf Wiedersehen Pal the day after a Sheffield Wednesday defeat. Call up number two for coach and former city player Andy Dawson to take the temorary reigns once again while Acun searched for manager number 5. At this point, there can be nothing and no one hurting more than Acun's Wallet. The termination pay offs of contracts to McCann, Arveladze, Rosenior and now Walter as well as a six figure compensation fee to Reading FC must be stinging along with his his dented pride at having made so many mistakes or misjudgements of character. So here we are with a new manager and fifth in three years.
A huge risk for both parties. Acun, for another appontment he can't afford to get wrong and Ruben, walking into a club that has gone through managers as though there's a revolving door policy on the gaffers office and a "Don't bother unpacking" sign on the coat stand.
It's no secet that Reading fans are gutted about his departure and even more so that it's Hull City who they view as a step down for him and a bad choice but football is a brutal game both on and off the field and takes no prisoners. Their loss (and it will be) could be our gain. He's notched up 78 games with a young side and has a win ratio of over 43% that sees him and his former Reading side 6th in L1 on 30 points with just 1 loss in 6 games.
The question is. Can he step up to Championship level with the pressures and anxiety of a Hull City owner desperate to put the brakes on a poor start to his ever stalling seasons by his own high standards and turn us into a winning club? I imagine Ruben will be given a generous transfer budget and we may see a few players leaving to make way for players of his own choosing and experience of working with.
Whatever happens, surely it won't be as bad as a 17% win ratio Walterball and with the backing of the owner, backroom staff, playing and coaching staff and as importantly an MKM full of Tiger's Fans we'll all push forward together and realise Acun's dream of "Family" in the promised land. I'm expecting a total reset. Reading play open, front footed, confident football. They win some they lose some but watching a team giving it a real go under a manager that is pro active is better than the corpse football we've witnessed, so looking forward to what Ruben has to offer if it's anything like his old Reading set up. Here are some social media comments from Reading fans. "He does well coaching young players. Struggled with big egos at Reading initially and then got rid of"
"When given time he’s a genius. What he’s done for us is like a miracle"
"If it happens, and I do not blame him, it will be game over for Reading."
"Love what Ruben's done for Reading but one area he hasn't really been tried in is transfers, as he's not had the money to sign anyone."
Welcome aboard Rubén.
Call up number one for coach and former city player Andy Dawson to take the temorary reigns of the club as Acun searched for manager number 3. After 32 days in the hot seat, Daws was stood down as Liam Rosenior, another former player with 144 apearances under his belt for The Tigers took over in early Novemember just in time for the flurry of games over Christmas and New Year when we needed stability more than ever. An interesting fact is that when we signed Liam as a player, we took him from Reading also.
Liam fared rather better than his predessor taking City to 7th place and 70 points at the top of the Championship, missing out by just one place for the play off rounds but even so it didn't stop the shock that rattled around the fan base as Acun chose to part ways with his third manager after the last game of the season who had served 16 months in post and signed a new 3 year contract just 5 months earlier. After a long closed season and yet another search Acun had hunted down his 4th manager in the shape of big German, Tim Walter who was seconded from a 3 year stint at Hamburg SV in the second tier of the German League. I don't need to go into chapter and verse about "Walterball" and the miserable football we were served or the 17% win ratio that robbed us of seeing goals but once again the axeman was summonsed by the ever continueing drop in form and slide down the table giving Acun very little choice than to once again, give his 4th manager his marching orders which was a brisk Auf Wiedersehen Pal the day after a Sheffield Wednesday defeat. Call up number two for coach and former city player Andy Dawson to take the temorary reigns once again while Acun searched for manager number 5. At this point, there can be nothing and no one hurting more than Acun's Wallet. The termination pay offs of contracts to McCann, Arveladze, Rosenior and now Walter as well as a six figure compensation fee to Reading FC must be stinging along with his his dented pride at having made so many mistakes or misjudgements of character. So here we are with a new manager and fifth in three years.
A huge risk for both parties. Acun, for another appontment he can't afford to get wrong and Ruben, walking into a club that has gone through managers as though there's a revolving door policy on the gaffers office and a "Don't bother unpacking" sign on the coat stand.
It's no secet that Reading fans are gutted about his departure and even more so that it's Hull City who they view as a step down for him and a bad choice but football is a brutal game both on and off the field and takes no prisoners. Their loss (and it will be) could be our gain. He's notched up 78 games with a young side and has a win ratio of over 43% that sees him and his former Reading side 6th in L1 on 30 points with just 1 loss in 6 games.
The question is. Can he step up to Championship level with the pressures and anxiety of a Hull City owner desperate to put the brakes on a poor start to his ever stalling seasons by his own high standards and turn us into a winning club? I imagine Ruben will be given a generous transfer budget and we may see a few players leaving to make way for players of his own choosing and experience of working with.
Whatever happens, surely it won't be as bad as a 17% win ratio Walterball and with the backing of the owner, backroom staff, playing and coaching staff and as importantly an MKM full of Tiger's Fans we'll all push forward together and realise Acun's dream of "Family" in the promised land. I'm expecting a total reset. Reading play open, front footed, confident football. They win some they lose some but watching a team giving it a real go under a manager that is pro active is better than the corpse football we've witnessed, so looking forward to what Ruben has to offer if it's anything like his old Reading set up. Here are some social media comments from Reading fans. "He does well coaching young players. Struggled with big egos at Reading initially and then got rid of"
"When given time he’s a genius. What he’s done for us is like a miracle"
"If it happens, and I do not blame him, it will be game over for Reading."
"Love what Ruben's done for Reading but one area he hasn't really been tried in is transfers, as he's not had the money to sign anyone."
Welcome aboard Rubén.
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