Ruben Selles identifies Sheffield United “difference” from Chris Wilder era after Gus Hamer future hint

The challenge of succeeding an iconic figure in the dugout has proved the undoing for many of his managerial colleagues - but Ruben Selles is excited, rather than fearful, of the opportunity to build on Chris Wilder’s iconic time at Sheffield United. The boyhood Blade’s second spell in charge of his hometown club came to an end last week.

But his place in the history of this football club was already secured, even if play-off glory just over a month ago would surely have removed all doubt in the debate over the greatest manager in the club’s history. New man Selles is starting from a strong base laid by Wilder, who left Bramall Lane despite winning 92 points last season after a summer of turmoil and turnover.

The pressure is now on Spaniard Selles to go one better next time around, even if the weight of expectation did not appear to be weighing too heavily on his shoulders when he met members of the media for the first time on Tuesday evening.

Instead, Selles spoke respectfully of the job that Wilder did before him, and of his hopes of one day achieving even a fraction of what his predecessor delivered to United. “First of all, we are always respectful of whoever has been before us,” Selles admitted. “Because I always assume that the manager in place always did his best to win football matches.

Ruben Selles identifies Sheffield United “difference” from Chris Wilder era after Gus Hamer future hint

“In this case I respect Chris as a person and as an opponent, and I respect the job that he has done at this club. That's no different from any other place and for now we have that in consideration and know he was a big figure for the club. But from now it's the way we want to do things and it's the next chapter for the club.

“We want to move forward, always respecting the tradition and the values of this football club. It's an advantage to have people who have been successful before us because that sets the standards, and pushes you to make the standards even higher. With the respect and ambition to someday try and achieve part of what he has achieved with the club.”

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With the change in manager will come an inevitable change of style. While Wilder tried to gain control of games - making his disdain clear when a match became, in his words, “a game of basketball” - Selles’ football philosophy is more chaotic, with high pressing and “vertical” passing key parts of the message he will deliver to his players when he meets them for the first time next week.

Selles will also continue with Wilder’s last-season preference for wingers, despite dropping a hint that key man Gus Hamer may be used differently next term - should he remain at Bramall Lane - after a superb season off the left under Wilder.

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"Wingers is a very important position for us,” Selles admitted, “so we expect our wingers to be key players and with the characteristics of being dynamic, being front-footed, being good dribblers in one-against-one situations, and also contributing in terms of goals and assists.

“Our approach is going to go more into that side. That will be something you can identify as different to last season."