Ruben Selles makes welcome Sheffield United promise as hard work begins at Bramall Lane

Ruben Selles has thanked Sheffield United supporters for their “warm welcome” since he arrived at Bramall Lane last week, after meeting the local and national media for the first time this evening. The Spaniard was appointed as Chris Wilder’s successor last Wednesday and arrived in the Steel City over the weekend.

He has taken time this week to prepare for United’s return to pre-season training on July 1, with the aim to hit the ground running in terms of implementing his style of play on a group who have licked their wounds over the summer following last month’s play-off final defeat to Sunderland at Wembley.

Wilder’s departure sparked intense debate between Blades fans both online and in real life, especially after he led the Blades to 92 points last season and within 15 minutes of an instant return to the Premier League.

But it is the 42-year-old Spaniard who will lead the bid to go one better next time around, making a quick return to the dugout after leaving United’s Championship rivals Hull City after keeping them in the division on goal difference.

Ruben Selles makes welcome Sheffield United promise as his Bramall Lane era gets underway

“I thank them for the warm welcome since I was announced,” Selles said. “My message to them is that I understand completely what it is to be a football fan and we are here to play for them, and play the kind of football that they can identify with.

“That they can cheer and support and get behind. Hopefully we'll have that connection for the entire season and that will mean we are in a good place.”

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Selles will address United’s players for the first time when they report back next week after their summer break, having been wary of contacting them during their down-time following a delayed end to last term.

With just over six weeks until the start of the new campaign, Selles has to hit the ground running in terms of recruitment after six loanees returned to their parent clubs after the play-off defeat under the Wembley arch.

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There is also ongoing speculation about some of United’s best players, including Gus Hamer and Vini Souza, while Jack Robinson and Anel Ahmedhodzic - the Blades’ only senior centre-halves as things stand - enter the final year of their respective contracts on July 1.

The Spaniard will be joined by some familiar faces at Bramall Lane, after reuniting with James Oliver-Pearce and Tobias Loveland after spells together at Reading and Hull City, while two players with previous experience of Bramall Lane in John Egan and Regan Slater played under him at Hull last term and could provide some valuable insight into life at the Lane.

“It has been a little bit of a crazy period,” added Selles this evening on his first impressions of life as the Blades boss. “We came to the city on Sunday and then from yesterday morning, we started to work.

“The main target for this week is just to get everything going, to get the technical staff together. It was important that when the players come back on Tuesday we are already ready to work, we know the people who work around and they know exactly what they can expect from us.”