The idea that Ruben Selles will only be judged properly as Sheffield United manager after the conclusion of the summer transfer window is “an illusion,” the man himself has admitted, as pressure continues to mount. The Blades’ defeat at home to Millwall on Saturday was their fourth defeat from four games since he took charge earlier this summer.

A chorus of boos aimed in his direction after the game suggested that patience is quickly running out on the terraces and Selles must find a way to address his side’s slump in form, just three months after losing last season’s play-off final, and quickly.

 

Some respite did arrive in the transfer market last week as Ben Godfrey and Nils Zatterstrom checked into Bramall Lane, from Atalanta and Malmo respectively. Godfrey got through 90 minutes on his Blades debut but couldn’t help his new side to a desperately needed victory.

Further reinforcements should follow this week, with a deal for Millwall’s Japhet Tanganga moving on and a decision set to be taken on Ben Mee’s future after the former Burnley and Brentford veteran joined the Blades for training.

But Selles is under no illusion that he will be given the luxury of much more time following the closure of the transfer window, should United’s rotten run of form continue. Speaking ahead of United’s trip to Middlesbrough this weekend, Selles was asked if the right time to judge him would be a few weeks post-deadline when the pieces of his puzzle are in place.

“That is an illusion,” he replied. “You get judged for everything you do every single day. I get judged for things that happen on the pitch and the results that I get. The performance of my team. To think we get judged in three or four weeks when the transfer window is closed…I don’t think it is realistic.

 

“We are where we are right now and hopefully on Monday, we can continue working hard and next week, we can show something a little bit different – with a transfer window or no transfer window – to win football matches. Any other situation would be an excuse in my mind.”

 

On a human level it was difficult not to feel at least a touch of sympathy for a crestfallen Selles, who waved his arms in resigned frustration as two of his defenders allowed the lively Mihailo Ivanović to jump unopposed on the edge of the United box and flick on for Luke Cundle to score what turned out to be the winner.

But he has been in football long enough to know its realities and that the fortunes of United, already nine points off Stoke City and Boro at the top of the table and seven adrift of the early play-off pack, must change – and quickly.

“No-one will be more disappointed than I already am,” Selles added. “If someone can change this situation, it’s me. I can do it and I have done it in the past. I have been in situations like this one before.

“The formula is to be cool with yourself and continue working, finding those mistakes and correcting them. Finding the togetherness even more and going again. Because you never know what the action will be to change your destiny.”

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