‘The players are giving us everything’: McCann

‘THINGS WILL CHANGE’: Grant McCann. Picture credit: Hull City

Grant McCann says his Hull City players are “giving us everything” as they try to get out of trouble on what has so far been a difficult return to the Sky Bet Championship.

The Tigers head into a Yorkshire derby at fellow strugglers Barnsley on Saturday lying in 23rd place, with the Tykes just one place and two points above them.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference today, City boss McCann said: “It’s a big game for both teams, given the league positions of both teams. We for sure want to go there and try and take the three points.

“We have to go there and give a real good account of ourselves. We are coming up against a team who are one of the best pressing teams in the division, statistically.

“So we know we are going to have to be good in terms of playing through that press, playing over the press, playing down the sides of the press. Tactically we have to be very good, and physically we have to be good to match their press and energy.

“It’s going to be a good game. We’ll have quite a few fans there. It’s a local-ish derby as well, and we want to try and send the fans home happy with three points.”

Asked about City’s approach to the game, McCann said: “We have to make sure we cut out these silly mistakes that we’re making at the minute, it’s costing us games.”

ENGLAND UNDER-20s CALL-UP: Harvey Cartwright. Picture credit: Hull City

One of City’s other problems has been a lack of goals, with just nine scored in the opening 16 matches.

McCann said: “It’s difficult at the minute because we are snatching at things, things aren’t going our way, keepers are making good saves, we’re not shooting maybe quick enough.

“But these are things - it’s just repetition on the training ground, trying to get the boys to understand that these chances are big in this division and we have to take them when they come our way.”

The Tigers boss received his engraved League One Manager of the Year award this morning following the club’s title win last season - which McCann said felt like “twenty years ago”.

Regarding the ups and downs in football, he said: “We have to stay level, we have to stay composed and calm.

“I understand people are going to be losing their head with this, that, and the other … when you’re losing football games that comes with the territory, but we’ve got to stay calm and focused and see if we can finish of this little busy period of games we’ve had with three points to take into the international break.”

He added: “The only people that can change the fortunes and results is us, and we have to continue to work with this group - they’re a great group, they want to continue to work, they’re giving us everything, they really are. They’re coming up short at the minute but it will definitely change.”

INJURY SETBACK: Alfie Jones. Picture credit: Hull City

City can take encouragement from a spirited performance at high-flying West Brom on Wednesday, despite the all too familiar scoreline of a 1-0 defeat.

McCann said he wanted the shape, organisation, and effort shown against the Baggies to be carried into Saturday’s game.

On the injury front, McCann said defender Alfie Jones was likely to be out for some time after tearing a hamstring at The Hawthorns, which he suffered in his “first sprint of the game”.

“Really frustrated for Alfie,” McCann said. “We’ve had the results back off the scan; it doesn’t look great for him. I can’t give you a timescale on it at this present time until the physios give me a wee bit more information on it.

“But he’s torn another part of his hamstring, further up. He’s also damaged the previous [injury] part of his hamstring also.

“It’s not great news for him and really disappointed for Alf because he’s worked so hard to get back.”

In more positive news, goalkeeper Harvey Cartwright has been called up for the England Under-20s squad to face Portugal on November 11.

“He’s a very good young goalkeeper,” McCann said. “We couldn’t be more pleased for him. He’s a great kid, trains well every single day.

“I know when he goes with the England camps and the training camps that the reports that come back on him are always outstanding, so really, really pleased for him and good luck to him.”

Cartwright will have “a massive future” in the game, his boss said.