Can Ruben Selles handle the pressure cooker at Sheffield United post Chris Wilder - Leon Wobschall

The proof of the pudding is always in the eating, though.

Ruben Selles can certainly be bracketed as one of those sorts of aforesaid individuals. His CV makes for an outstanding one on paper.

His coaching career began at the age of just 16 before completing a degree in physical science and sport at the University of Valencia followed by a Masters in high performance in collective sports in Barcelona.

Sheffield United’s new manager, now 42, completed the second part of his UEFA Pro Licence by the age of 25, studying alongside former Huddersfield Town chief Carlos Corberan.

The Spaniard has worked in a variety of roles at clubs including fitness coach, assistant manager and chief data analyst and is proficient in several languages. He has worked in seven different countries.

In the statement announcing his appointment, Selles is also someone who is happy to 'employ innovative recruitment and analytic strategies', according to club’s American owners. To all intents and purposes, that means artificial intelligence.

All well and good and loads of boxes ticked then. Yet what about the true acid test, which is not about diplomas, but showing your mettle in pressurised situations which the classroom and training ground only partially prepare you for.

It is here where Selles, encouragingly, commands respect in terms of his record in England thus far.

He has handled pressurised situations at his three previous clubs in Southampton, Reading and Hull City pretty well.

Stepping into the huge shoes vacated by Chris Wilder, a Bramall Lane legend and major figure in the club’s history, represents his biggest pressure cooker yet, at a club whose followers will expect promotion in 2025-26.

It is intensified by the fact that he was brought in to replace Wilder on the back of a season which saw United register 90 points in the regular campaign and be around a quarter of an hour away from promotion at Wembley. It is a high bar.

No pressure then, Ruben. Will he hack it?

Selles, who has signed a three-year deal, said: “There have been different challenges and different levels and situations (before).

“At Reading, my main target was to keep the club alive and that’s what we did and the second thing was to make that team competitive and managing the difficult moments with points deductions and different situations in games.

“We managed to be successful and ended up in the play-off positions (last season) and that’s when Hull City came to us.

“It was quite a difficult moment for the club. Being bottom of the Championship and no win in 11 games.

“It is difficult when you arrive in the middle of a season, but we managed to keep the team in the division for next season and create a future platform.

“Everything happens for a reason and I am glad to come through those moments to now be sitting here and being able to look at the future at the club like Sheffield United.”

Proof of Selles’ standing at Hull was that most observers were surprised and a little deflated by the news of his sacking last month.

Unfortunately for his sake, the person who matters in the shape of City’s hard-to-predict and maverick owner Acun Illcali thought otherwise.

It was in Berkshire where Selles – who counts Rafael Benitez as a mentor from his days at Valencia – displayed he was made of the right stuff.

Ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, the beleaguered Royals were in a transfer embargo and didn’t have a proper pre-season.

It was also a season when the club had three separate points deductions and relied on many academy players.

In his first full year as a manager, it was a baptism of fire for Selles. Despite a maelstrom of issues, Reading commendably finished away from relegation danger in 17th in League One.

Sensibly, Selles' main focus in his time at Hull was on defensive solidity. Struggling sides who sack managers midway through a season usually don't score enough goals and concede too many. His pragmatic approach at Hull was a necessary 'evil.'

At Bramall Lane, it will have to be different. His espousal of high-intensity, aggressive front-foot football, which he described as ‘vertical and proactive’ will be more akin to his truer instincts, which had to be tailored in East Yorkshire. To his cost.

Sections of Unitedites aren't likely to wait to voice their disapproval if they see things that they don't like early in Selles' tenure – with the wounds likely to still be sore following Wilder's departure.

In that case, Selles will require the tough skin he has shown before.