‘Staff are worried about their future’: McCann reveals takeover anxiety
‘TAKEOVER IMMINENT’: Acun Ilicali
Hull City manager Grant McCann says he would like “clarity” over the expected takeover of the club after revealing he sometimes has to lift staff who have become concerned about their futures.
Assem Allam’s 12-year tenure as owner of the club is thought to be in its last days, with confirmation of its sale to Turkish media mogul Acun Iliaci expected at any moment.
Ilicali’s presence at the MKM Stadium for the FA Cup tie against Everton last weekend, screened live on the BBC, only increased expectations among fans that a deal was imminent.
The Premier League side needed extra time to beat their Championship hosts in a five-goal thriller.
But as he prepares his players to return to league action with the visit of Stoke City on Sunday, McCann revealed the uncertainty was affecting some at the club.
Asked what his overall mood was at a press conference today, McCann said: “Well, I’m trying to be as positive as possible, and I am a positive person anyway, and I try and lift the mood around the training ground all the time.
“There’s probably a lot of people worrying, in and around the club, in terms of maybe staff members, whether their job is safe et cetera, but I just try and pick them up, I just try and, you know, tell them that we can’t affect any of this, and we can’t; we can only control what we can control, and that’s making sure the football that we play and the team goes on the pitch and gives everything that they can for the football club.
“We have staff meetings every morning; if we sense anybody feeling a bit down we pick them up, because I think it’s important, we have to make sure we’re in that frame of mind when the players walk through the door, and we always are, as a staff.
“So in terms of how I’m feeling, I’m loving it. I’m loving life here, I’m loving working with this group of players, group of staff, and we just want to try and put good performances on the football pitch whenever games come across.”
Matt Dean, from BBC Radio Humberside, then asked him: “Given they’re feeling the way they are, how keen are you for a resolution to the ownership situation, then, for them if not for yourself?”
McCann said: “Well yeah, I mean look, I think everybody would be like that, I think everyone wants clarity and clearance. So we’re no different. But all we can do is focus on the games coming up and see how we best go about these to try and get the three points.”
The takeover situation was not affecting McCann’s ability to bring players into the club during the January transfer window, he said.
The Tigers have a vacancy up front following the transfer this week of striker Josh Magennis to League One Wigan.
McCann said he was “really disappointed” to lose Magennis, but understood why he wanted to move back to where his family live.
City have been in talks with potential replacements, with one visiting the training ground on Wednesday, McCann said.
Intriguingly, the City boss added: “I had a good conversation yesterday with a centre-forward from the Premier League. It went well, again, but it’s timing, and it’s timing of when they’ll let him out if they get one in, so we’re working very hard.”
McCann said he had told his players to be proud of their performance against Everton, and said they were disappointed to have lost.
Sunday’s match against The Potters is the first of three in six days against top-ten opposition for City.