Ruben Selles explains Jack Robinson situation as Wrexham eye another Sheffield United transfer move
Ruben Selles explains Jack Robinson situation as Wrexham eye another Sheffield United transfer move
Jack Robinson was not left out of the Sheffield United starting XI for their season opener against Bristol City because of speculation linking him with a move to Championship rivals Wrexham, manager Ruben Selles has insisted. The Blades skipper was named on the bench from the start against the Robins.
The 31-year-old had missed a chunk of pre-season with a foot injury but Selles declared him fit to play on the eve of the 4-1 defeat, preferring to go with Welsh international Rhys Norrington-Davies on the left of United’s central defence.
But it was a gamble that backfired, with Norrington-Davies put out of his misery just before the hour mark after a difficult afternoon. When replaced by Robinson, there were ironic cheers from sections of the Blades fanbase.
News later broke of Wrexham’s interest in the former Liverpool man, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the current season and is understood to be open to the possibility of a fresh start elsewhere.
Ruben Selles explains Jack Robinson situation as Wrexham eye another Sheffield United transfer move
Conversations between United and the Welsh side, who last week signed striker Kieffer Moore in a £2m deal, are understood to have taken place around the same time over a potential deal for Robinson. But the sale of Anel Ahmedhodzic to Feyenoord, which left Robinson and Tyler Bindon as the only specialist and senior centre-halves in Selles’ squad, saw them placed on the back burner.
Selles attempted to justify the decision to play Norrington-Davies over Robinson based on pre-season appearances - but the subsequent news of Wrexham’s interest left many supporters unconvinced, with QPR understood to see Norrington-Davies as a potential transfer option and another potential centre-half exit on the cards.
“Jack Robinson didn't play in the last couple of pre-season matches and Rhys has done a good job, so that was why he started,” Selles said. “Robbo only joined us in the last couple of training sessions and I decided to go with Rhys in that position, because he has done a good job."
Events against City may prompt a re-think, even if Selles is not expected to make wholesale changes based on one defeat - no matter how eye-catching. United are still working on centre-half incomings, with a deal lined up for Ben Godfrey of Atalanta, while Nils Zätterström of Malmo is another player of interest to the Blades.
Only days earlier Selles explained his decision to keep Robinson as the Blades’ skipper, speaking about his off-field leadership skills that would be lost in a stroke should he move on. “I think Jack's experiences in the club, the competition and also in the dressing room, is invaluable if we can use it in the proper way,” admitted Selles, when asked why he had followed the lead of Paul Heckingbottom and Chris Wilder in handing Robinson the armband.
“And that's what I expect from him, professionalism and to drive the standards high of the club. And the way to communicate and support everything we are doing. I think for us, he has been there from the very beginning and he should continue like that.”