Cardiff City must have one eye on Hull City, Ruben Selles developments as big Acun Ilicali call beckons | OneFootball

Cardiff City should keep a close eye on the developing Ruben Selles situation at Hull City as they look to stabilise ahead of League One battle.

With Cardiff City's relegation to League One confirmed, the club has entered a crucial period in the buildup for the 2025/26 season as they search for the man given the task of stabilising the club and giving the Bluebirds a chance of earning promotion back to the second-tier at the first time of asking.

Just a matter of days after securing safety with Hull City, the job of Ruben Selles is controversially on the line. According to reports, the Spaniard is fighting for his job at Hull and could be set to be axed by chairman Acun Ilicali.

With Cardiff looking to bounce back next season, the club has to be paying close attention to any developments regarding the future of Selles, who has navigated League One waters already in his career, with Reading.

Cardiff require a reset after relegation sleepwalk

After a dismal 2024/25 campaign, it was confirmed with a game to go that Cardiff would be playing League One football for the first time since 2003.

Following the sacking of Omer Riza in April, it was confirmed that midfielder Aaron Ramsey would take charge for the club's final three outings of the season. However, despite all of Ramsey's experience across the continent, it became reality that the Bluebirds would be relegated to the third-tier, just six years after they were seen in the Premier League.

Speaking to the BBC following relegation confirmation, Ramsey was keen to emphasise just how important clarity is going to be across the board this summer.

"Over the next few weeks, after the season finishes, it's important to get somebody in with the right staff around them, that's the first thing, and then you can go from there and add layers to that," said the 34-year-old Welshman, adding that: "Fans need clarity. Players need clarity, and then you can build from there."

The ex-Arsenal, Juventus and Rangers midfielder also highlighted that whoever comes in through the door, plays a crucial role in galvanising the club: "We need everybody to get right behind this club now and for us all to pull in the same direction to get out of this, and you need somebody who's going to grab the club and galvanise that."

"What's important now is that the manager, and the staff that he [Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan] brings in, create an identity that the fans can buy into again and can get right behind. That's the first step, and putting that in place, the rest can follow."

Cardiff should be keeping a close eye on the developing Ruben Selles situation

As mentioned, the Spanish head coach reportedly on the brink of controversially losing his job after guiding the club to safety.

It is not the first time that the Tigers are in the headlines for a similar story, with this coming just a year after Liam Rosenior was relieved of his duties at the end of the 2023/24 campaign following a 7th-placed finish.

The argument that can be made that the football has not been easy on the eye, however, Selles fulfilled his duties of achieving Championship safety after Hull endured a turgid opening half of the campaign under Tim Walter.

Since Selles took charge in December, Hull have collected 34 points, nearly 70% of their final season total.

Ruben Selles is the perfect man to bounce back with Cardiff

Heading into a summer of change in South Wales, the Bluebirds are aiming for one important factor above all: stability. When it comes to achieving this, there are not many better options out there than Selles.

In June 2023, Spaniard Selles was appointed as head coach of Reading. His first of 35 victories with the Royals came in his second match at the helm, delivering a dominant 4-0 away win over Championship side Millwall in the opening round of the EFL Cup.

Under his leadership, Reading became known for their attacking brand of football, a welcome bright spot as the Royals achieved safety amid off-field struggles and repeated points deductions. Highlights of his tenure included a record-breaking 9-0 thrashing of Exeter City, along with emphatic wins against Swindon Town (5-0), Carlisle United (5-1), Arsenal U21s (5-2), Charlton Athletic (5-3), and Cambridge United (4-0).

Despite operating under a transfer embargo heading into the 2024/25 campaign, Selles managed to guide Reading to sixth place in the Sky Bet League One table before his departure in December, securing nine wins from 17 matches and remaining just nine points adrift of the top. He departed the club on a high, unbeaten in his final six outings across all competitions, including four victories, and closed his time in charge with back-to-back wins: a 5-3 FA Cup triumph over Harborough and a commanding 3-0 victory against Cambridge United.

Given the urgency for clarity, leadership, and a clear identity at Cardiff as emphasised by Ramsey, Ruben Selles stands out as an ideal candidate all three. His record at Reading proves that he can thrive even amid chaos, navigating a points deduction and embargo-crippled squad into genuine promotion contention.

His recent stint at Hull only adds to the case. Despite inheriting a struggling squad mid-season, he steadied the ship and ensured Championship survival.

If the Bluebirds are serious about rebuilding with intent, vision and purpose, then they absolutely have to be placing all eyes on the ever-changing situation at the helm of Hull City.