Reading boss Ruben Selles opened up on his private life and stress-reducing methods in a riveting interview with fan channel The Tilehurst End, naming staff workouts and foot tennis competitions as vital ways to clear the mind.
Arriving last summer, Royals supporters have really taken to the former Southampton interim coach, with the team in top-10 form for most of the last nine months despite fighting constant off-field battles.
Fighting redundancies, points deductions, embargoes and late wages, his first full-time appointment in England has not been without challenges.
"I live in Winchester because we moved to Southampton two years ago and the kids are in school, and I didn’t want to move them again- they have been moving a lot in the last 10 years," he told Ben Thomas and Ross Webber. "It was an agreement with them that they could continue with their school and friends now they are in their third year, it is more stable and for me, that is the most important thing.
"I really like my training sessions, but I do it at the training ground with the staff- we have competitions with foot tennis when we finish our day. We always finish our day with a good workout for us, mainly with other members of the technical staff. It relieves a lot of stress and situations from the day. For 30-50 minutes you don’t think about football, take a shower and go home to enjoy time with the family for two or three hours.
"I go out from home at 6.15 in the morning and usually come back at 7.30/8 in the evening so there is not much time for them. All the time that I have I try to give to them and join them in what they do. My wife travels a lot to work in Spain, so I am here with the kids. Now they are a little more grown-up the small one is playing football and the older one likes to do different stuff, so I try to have lots of time with them which is really important."
The Royals, now facing a weekend off due to international call-ups, return to League One action on Saturday, September 14 against Leyton Orient.
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