Exclusive: Lee Hendrie throws weight behind Cardiff City, Ruben Selles suggestion after Hull City axe | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie believes Cardiff City should appoint outgoing Hull City boss Ruben Selles

Hull City confirmed their decision to part ways with Ruben Selles following the 2024/25 Championship campaign, despite the manager accomplishing his target of keeping the Tigers in the division.

Hull sat at the foot of the second-tier when the 41-year-old was brought in on a two-and-a-half-year deal last December, but ultimately survived the drop.

However, this was only accomplished due to goal difference and if things had worked out slightly differently, the Tigers would now be preparing for life back in League One.

As a result, the club have relieved Selles of his duties, following crunch talks with controversial chairman Acun Ilicali.

Cardiff City showed a keen interest in acquiring the manager’s services back in October last year, following the club’s dismissal of Erol Bulut.

Instead, the Bluebirds opted to appoint Omer Riza, in an ill-fated move that ended with the Welsh giant’s relegation to the third-tier, and Riza’s subsequent sacking.

Now with Cardiff on the prowl for a new boss, and Selles out of work, it wouldn’t be unlikely to see the duo finally combine.

Former Aston Villa midfielder and Sky Sports pundit, Lee Hendrie, discussed the topic exclusively with Football League World, and believes that Selles could breathe new life into the downbeat Bluebirds.

"A really good fit" - Lee Hendrie hands Cardiff City and Ruben Selles seal of approval

“Cardiff are obviously going to be interested in Ruben Selles,” stated Hendrie. “It wouldn't surprise me now if they end up pushing and pursuing that deal now he's available.

“I think he’d be a great fit for the football club. Cardiff need a rebuild, they need a revamp, and some fresh new ideas.

“It would be a fresh start for the football club and also for Selles too. So I think that the pair would make a really good fit.”

Selles could prove the Tigers wrong with successful stint in Cardiff

Following his removal from the Hull job, Selles would relish the opportunity to get straight back into work with a Cardiff side desperately crying out for leadership.

Unlike his previous roles with Southampton, Reading and Hull, the 41-year-old wouldn’t be firefighting and trying to keep the club in the division – he’d be aiming for promotion and building a squad that he'd set up to go and win games.

This would be an extremely refreshing experience for the manager, who hasn’t been able to properly display his tactical prowess in his last few jobs, instead focussed on purely picking up points no matter the performance.

Selles will feel hard done by following his sacking by Hull – he achieved exactly what was asked of him and would’ve felt like he deserved the opportunity to build a squad this summer and prove exactly what he could do in the next season, without the existing burden of a relegation scrap.

The Portuguese boss won’t get that chance with the Tigers, but if presented with a similar opportunity in Wales, he may feel determined to prove his former employers wrong.

Cardiff need someone who is going to guide them forward during the club’s darkest period in over 20 years, and if Selles is up to the task, would be given the tools to assert his philosophy upon the Bluebirds’ side.

The situation could snowball. Two entities desperate to put recent negativity behind them and get back to winning football matches.

Therefore, if Cardiff smell an opportunity with Selles, they must learn from their mistakes and make a move.