Rosenior to ring changes for Fulham visit as FA Cup tie pits both managers against former clubs

‘I LOVE THE FA CUP’: Liam Rosenior. Picture credit: Hull City

By Simon Bristow

Hull City boss Liam Rosenior is set to ring the changes when the Tigers welcome Fulham to the MKM Stadium for a mouth-watering FA Cup tie on Saturday.

As well as pitching a resurgent Championship side against Premier League opposition, the Third Round clash also features some personal history on both sides, with Rosenior having made his Premier League playing debut at Fulham and reached an FA Cup Final with City, Tigers playmaker Jean Michaël Seri recently playing for Fulham, and Cottagers boss Marco Silva having managed City. Rosenior’s father Leroy also played for Fulham.

As well as a chance to savour the atmosphere of the world’s oldest national football competition, Tigers fans will head to the match in buoyant mood on the back of two impressive away wins in the league, and following an announcement today that the club will be providing free travel to away games for the remainder of the Championship season.

But they can expect to see significant changes to the starting line-up following a hectic festive programme that saw City play three games in eight days, starting with a Boxing Day draw at home to Blackpool.

Speaking at a press conference today at City’s Cottingham training ground, Rosenior told reporters: “I love the FA Cup. I had one of the best days of my life with this football club in an FA Cup Final, and the run itself.

“The situation I’m in here, I want to give players a chance; I still don’t know a lot of the players.” He said there were a lot of players in the who “haven’t had the chance they deserve” and “I need to see them”.

But the head coach said he expected whoever is selected to continue playing according to the philosophy he has been trying to instil since his appointment in early November.

Rosenior said: “I want to see them team play the same way regardless of the personnel. I want us to have an identity. I’m not going to tweak the tactics too much - there might be an adjustment for Fulham but I want to see us play the same way.”

As well as building patiently in possession, that style involves a commitment to defending and attacking as a team, which Rosenior said had been “epitomised” by striker Óscar Estupiñán recently, whose return to goalscoring form has been a key part of City’s improved results.

After netting in the 1-1 draw with Blackpool, the Colombian poacher scored the winner at Birmingham on December 30 and bagged his 11th of the season in the 4-1 demolition of Wigan on January 2.

Rosenior said: “Every attacker is a defender when the other team has the ball and every defender is an attacker when we have the ball. Óscar has epitomised that for me.”

Seri, who has also been in superb form, said Rosenior had brought a welcome organisation and intensity to the Tigers.

Asked to explain the improved form, the Ivorian midfielder said: “To be fair he hasn’t changed anything - we are the same players. But what made these changes is we are more organised, we have more intensity when we play with the ball and without the ball. In football … if you don’t have that intensity it’s going to be difficult.”

Seri said he keeps in touch with Silva and spoke to him before joining City. “I don’t know what he’s thinking [about the match], but before I came here he said to me ‘This is a family, this is a family club, good city too’.”

• City have confirmed that winger Randell Williams has today joined League One side Bolton Wanderers on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee.