‘If we beat Blackburn we’re genuine contenders’: Seri eyes Premier League
LOOKING UP: Jean Michaël Seri. Picture by Hull City
By Simon Bristow
Hull City star Jean Michaël Seri says a win against high-flying Blackburn Rovers on Saturday would show the Tigers are “potential candidates” for promotion to the Premier League.
Back to back away wins have seen City climb to mid-table in the Championship, and restored some of the optimism around the club since the takeover by Turkish businessman Acun Ilıcalı in January.
Now Seri, a playmaking Ivorian midfielder who joined on a three-year contract in the summer, believes another three points on Saturday would show the Tigers were genuine promotion contenders this season.
They face a tough test in the visitors to the MKM Stadium, with Blackburn lying third and knowing a win for them could take them top.
Asked what had attracted him to City in an online press conference today, Seri said: “We can see that this city is very passionate. This club is a great club with a great history, so they have to get what they deserve - get back to the Premier League.
“That’s why I’m here, to help the boys, to help the club to get there because I know that we can do it. The owner wants that and he’s a passionate guy and he wants to get successful with this team.
“So I believe that we can do it, and with the support, with our fans, we can really do it… I believe that if we win on Saturday we can say that yeah, we are potential candidates. We have to do it, but I believe game after game we can show we are there.”
A win would also boost the chances of caretaker manager Andy Dawson being given a chance of taking on the role permanently, having been in charge since the sacking of previous boss Shota Arveladze last month.
Dawson, a Tigers legend who as a player helped City rise through all four divisions, is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.
City are expecting an other bumper crowd on Saturday, with numbers boosted by an open training session this week which fans were invited to attend.
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Asked how important it was for fans to have that kind of access to the players they pay to support, Dawson said: “Really important, I think it’s a really good point. As footballers you have to stay humble. You have to recognise the people that are supporting you every week and spending their hard-earned money to come home and away.
“And I think we saw that the other day. I thought every single one of them players spent time signing autographs; not just signing an autograph, actually speaking to the kids and asking certain questions.
“As you say, that’s part of building something in an environment where it is all as one. Them kids, whether they’re one, two, or three, or twelve or thirteen, they’re coming and getting them autographs, and the questions that the players [ask] and the interaction that they have, they’ll remember it for the rest of their lives.
“And as you say that’s really important for both the fans’ side and the players’ side, to remember that we’re all as one, and to be successful it takes everybody, and I thought the organisation and everything that went on the other day was a credit to the club, credit to the fans, credit to the players, and you hope that brings everybody together.”
Dawson said he was expecting a “tough” game, and said of Rovers: “We’ve got to give them the utmost respect. They’ve got some really top players, Championship players, probably Premier League players, in the squad, so we know that we have to be ready to go. And whatever comes at us, are we prepared and do we understand our roles and responsibilities?
“But as normal, I know it’s a cliche, but it is about us. What have we done well in recent weeks? How do we get better at it, and can we go on the day and perform to a high level?”
City are 16th with 20 points from 16 matches. Blackburn have 30 points and have a played a game more. City have no new injury worries.