RUBÉN SELLÉS
Reading, 2023-
We need to remember that we are playing a game that people love.
Not only the fans watching the game, but the people playing it. When you can connect your way of doing things with a desire from the players to play football, you have a big advantage.
When you can find a way to do it that represents who you are as a person, what you are as a team and give an identity to the club, that is fantastic. By the end of my first season with Reading, I think we showed a little bit of what we want to be.
My understanding of football is always based on high-intensity moments, particularly defensive actions. We need to be very dynamic and defend far away from the goal. Remember that we press to score goals.
In possession, we must be organised and arrive quickly in the final third. We want to be vertical. We must be able to combine to reach the final third, or, when appropriate, break the lines with the most combinative build-up.
The organization in possession is extremely important. My team aims to apply strong counter-pressure and capitalize on transitions when regaining possession of the ball. We enjoy the ‘organised chaos’.
“MY FIRST YEAR OF COACHING SET THE STANDARD FOR THE REST OF MY CAREER”
Growing up, it was clear that my life would be centered around sports. It was also clear that I would not be able to play professional football, so I needed to get involved in another way.
I obtained a degree in physical science and sport. At the same time, I was coaching and playing for my university team. During those years, I met some interesting people, including Carlos Corberán, my teammate in a small team called Burjassot.
At university, I was fascinated by the subject of high performance, so my studies focused on it. I earned my B, A, and Pro Licences and studied for a master’s degree under professor Paco Seirul·lo, who has overseen FC Barcelona’s training methods for the past 30 years. That gave me insight into how to foster a high-performance environment in team sports.
I had just started a PhD on the ability to repeat high-intensity sprints for football transitions when I was offered my first club position. In 2008, I joined Aris Thessaloniki’s technical staff, led by Quique Hernández.
It was a baptism of fire, because Quique, who had managed over 20 clubs, was a demanding coach who expected perfection. You needed to be on point. He was someone who truly understood what it means to be in a professional football environment: how to organize training, how to organize yourself, how to communicate with others, how to be respectful, how to keep your work ethics and values in front of you at all times, and being honest about it. That first year established the standard for the rest of my career, which continues to this day.
Since then, I’ve had wonderful experiences in several countries, including Spain, Russia, Azerbaijan, Norway, and Denmark. Joining Southampton as an assistant to Ralph Hasenhüttl provided an opportunity to compete with world-class teams and coaches, as well as work with talented players.
“THE JOURNALIST TOLD ME I SOUNDED PRETTY AMBITIOUS FOR A MANAGER IN MY POSITION. AFTER 20 SECONDS, WE SCORED OUR FIRST GOAL”
I must say, though, it was a really difficult year – and a big disappointment when Ralph left. When his successor, Nathan Jones, left three months later, I was told to look after the team for a couple of days. The idea was to get a new manager, but there were some complications with that. So I was told to manage the game against Chelsea.
That game changed everything for me. We made a really powerful performance and won at Stamford Bridge.
The club decided to give me the rest of the season, knowing that it was difficult to stay in the Premier League. That was something that, unfortunately, we didn’t achieve, but from the first day to the last it was a wonderful challenge.
In an interview before we played Arsenal, I was asked: “What do you expect from the game?” I said: “I expect my team to be front-footed, with high pressure, trying to put them in trouble and win the ball close to their goal. If we take advantage of that, we can make a big impact.” The journalist told me: “That sounds pretty ambitious for a club and manager in your position.”
After 20 seconds we scored our first goal, with 10 players in the opposition half and after winning the ball. We led 2-0 and 3-1, before eventually drawing the game 3-3.
I like it when you have the feeling that you can beat anybody. That was the main thing that I got from Southampton. That I, along with my technical staff and players, could compete with the best teams in the world. That is very powerful.
“I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WE HAD A POWERFUL IDEA. IT WAS MY TEAM”
With one game left, the club communicated to me that they wanted to go with a different set-up for the next season. That was completely fine, and we finished with a fun 4-4 draw against Liverpool. I found myself in a situation where I had the experience of being a Premier League manager for 16 games, but not of being a manager from the beginning to the end of a season. The club that came in for me was Reading. That energetic, dynamic Arsenal game had been the platform for them to meet with me.
We talked, and everything was agreed on how we wanted to do things. I had concerns about what had happened before, with the late payment of wages, but was told those times were gone and we would have a certain budget.
As soon as we started, everything changed.
But I always believed that we had a great idea. It was my team, and I had a group of players who worked extremely hard. I’m proud of the decision and the season we created.
I made it clear from the start that we wanted to play high-intensity football. Initially, I attempted to follow the 4-2-2-2 system we used in Southampton. However, due to League One’s unique requirements and other factors, this approach was unsuccessful.
Formations align with principles and goals, such as creating a high-pressing, energetic team capable of quick attacks. We discovered that there were some teams against whom we couldn’t apply significant pressure. We expected to win the ball in those high spaces, but it moved too quickly toward our back four.
“WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO ALLOW US TO WIN”
We’d like to commit several players to the first press. However, with just one ball straight into their striker, the opposition could create 3v3 situations by being first to the second ball. What was supposed to be our strength became a weakness.
There were circumstances beyond the formation. For example, in some games, we were level with the opponent but conceded because we lacked control of critical moments. We lost three games early in the season due to goals in extra time.
We had all the necessary transitions, high-pressure statistics, and the PPDA by this point in the season. We just need to make a few adjustments to win.”
First, to be more compact. Second, more aggressive on the second ball, probably with extra players in that situation and at the same time. Sometimes the first pressure is not about winning the ball in the first, second or third movement. It is about modifying the kick from the goalkeeper or from the centre-back.
As soon as we identified those things and changed to a 4-3-3, we ended up having two or three players in the press. But now our back four and the three midfielders were always in place to win the second action.
We also found it helped us to get the ball down and find some more levels of transition, in terms of playing forward. There were changes of position for players like Harvey Knibbs, who we moved from winger to number eight. We also modified the spaces for Lewis Wing, and worked a lot with the back four. We played with a line that was really high, with players able to defend big spaces. From that moment until the end of the season, we grew into that idea.
“IN THE BEGINNING, WE MADE SOME MISTAKES. I PAID A LOT OF ATTENTION TO WHETHER THERE WOULD BE A TAKEOVER”
Our start to the season was not ideal, but it needs to be put into a context beyond the formation. We didn’t have a proper pre-season and were in a transfer embargo. Because the club didn’t pay HMRC, we were not able to register players for the EFL. We had to wait until HMRC were paid before we were able to register players.
Of the players who were available, the majority came from the academy, with no experience of football at the professional level. One of the biggest decisions that we made was to give them the chance to play, compete, develop and, in the end, to deliver performances and results. How they grew into the challenge is probably the thing that I am most proud of.
So the improvement in our results was not only due to the change of shape. It was also through the process of the dressing room moving forward together.
During this process, in September and February, we had our second and third points deductions of the season, having started with a points penalty. We also had a situation over whether wages would be paid.
There were many challenges, but perhaps it being my first full season as a head coach was key. Reading had been the first club to come to me and say: “This is your team.” That is how I always saw them, and the feeling inside me was that I needed to make this team work and compete. Of course, you don’t have the strength every day to always be on top form, but every day you need to give your maximum. That fire is what kept me trying to make the very best of the situation.
In the beginning, we made some mistakes. I paid a lot of attention to whether there would be a takeover. Is this potential owner coming? You meet with them, thinking maybe the situation will change. After a while, I decided to pay no more attention to the rumours, and not to meet anybody who interviews possible new owners. Instead, I kept my full focus on the pitch.
“OUR APPROACH WHEN THERE WAS A POINTS DEDUCTION WAS ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT THE HUMAN BEING”
And I don’t know how to explain it, but in the dressing room before the game at Wycombe, in November, there was something different about how the team talked to each other. There was something different about how they behaved.
They went on the pitch that day and made a perfect performance. We won 2-1 – the first away win for the club in a year, and our first away points in the league that season. It was a moment where I thought: “Now I know what we can be. We are competitive.”
It was a feeling that we wanted every single game. I don’t mean the feeling afterwards, when you have won. I’m talking about the feeling in the dressing room before the game – the kind of communication we wanted from the boys every time we played.
The following game, we defeated Carlisle 5-1. In two games, they went from being 10 points away from safety to five. But the feeling that we could compete was more important than the points themselves.
When it came to point deductions, we always considered the human being. I tried to communicate honestly with the boys, but I never over-informed them about the situation.
We didn’t tell them about the potential loss until after the deductions were confirmed. When they occurred, we held a meeting to explain the situation, which was unrelated to what we had done. On those days, we also gave them space in training.
“THE BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT OF THE SEASON WAS TO RECOVER, FOR THE CLUB, A CONNECTION WITH ITS FANS”
They played small-sided games, which were easy for me to train for and required little time on the pitch. They needed to accept the situation, communicate with the others, and create space. The next day, we focused on our weekend strategy.
That was huge because they knew we were always on their side and communicating in the most honest manner. In some cases, when we had to deliver bad news to them, we tried to have a solution in place before speaking with them.
Every time we had a point deduction, we won the following game. Managing those moments was a very positive learning experience. It didn’t matter what happened off the field; on the field, we were going to do our job.
The feeling of securing our place in League One was incredible. At one point, we were 10 points from safety. With two games remaining, we were already safe. That was a huge accomplishment.
Another success was the feeling we developed together. At the final game, nearly 20,000 people packed the stadium to celebrate, and I believe the most significant accomplishment of the season was reestablishing a connection between the club and its fans.
At the start of the season, the fans had a basic understanding of what was going on, but not much more. You are unable to communicate everything with them due to the need to maintain confidentiality at times. However, some details were made public by the club, and fans began to understand the challenge, not only for the manager, but also for the staff and players.
“NOBODY FROM THE CLUB DESERVES TO HAVE A SEASON LIKE THE LAST ONE”
Employees were fired, relocated, or not paid more than 50% on time. Players were leaving the club without engaging in proper dialogue. However, the fans began to connect and felt a desire to bring the club back. They also supported us.
When we played Oxford, they noticed that we had eight academy graduates on our team. The fans believed that each of the boys was one of them. We also connected the team and the people through the way we played. The games were occasionally too open, but they were fun and active. These were games with a lot of potential outcomes.
They saw a team fighting together to save their club, which they had supported since they were children. The goal is not only to maintain League One status, but also to keep it alive. That feeling continued to grow. We grew as a team, made connections, and then, in the last few months, with each home and away game, they grew as a fanbase. It was fantastic, and we were grateful for their support.
Before becoming a manager at 39, Sellés worked in football for 16 years in seven countries, including as a fitness coach, analyst, and assistant coach.
Looking ahead, my long-term goal is always to return to the top level and compete against the best teams. Hopefully, one day I’ll be able to complete it with my country’s national team.
Right now, I have a fantastic group at Reading that I would love to continue working with. However, we must wait and see how the takeover proceeds.
It’s possible that the takeover does not happen. Nobody in the club deserves to have a season like the last one, with point deductions, uncertainty every payday, being unable to book hotels the day before the game, and waking up one day to discover that they intend to sell the training facility. We cannot have that chaos again.
We must focus on instilling a love of football in the players, staff, and fans. Then I think we could have a lot of fun.
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