‘Will Acun’s big gamble pay off? Sadly, I fear not…’
PRESSURE: Tim Walter. Picture credit: Hull City
Eye of the Tigers
With Sam Hawcroft
So, did you have a good off-season? Or did you spend it worrying about what on earth is going on at Hull City?
The last time I wrote this City column, I put a hex on the future of Liam Rosenior by saying, “Rosenior is a gem, and he’s bound to go far in football. Let’s make sure he goes far with City.”
Well, that aged spectacularly, didn’t it? It was hardly in print a fortnight before the news broke that Rosenior had been given the boot, and in the following weeks Tigers fans went through the various stages of shock, denial, anger, grief and grudging acceptance, with a bit of revisionism thrown in for good measure.
I remember saying it at the time – and the intervening weeks haven’t done much to change my view – that I feared this move would prove a grave mistake.
Rosenior was, and is, a fine young manager of considerable intelligence and style, and he should have been given more time to see things through at the MKM Stadium.
‘SHOULD HAVE HAD MORE TIME’: Liam Rosenior. Picture credit: Hull City
As things are, Rosenior’s away over the Channel to Strasbourg, and City owner Acun Ilicali has not only taken a gamble on destabilising what seemed like a promising setup with an excellent reputation for nurturing young talent – but he hasn’t, as yet, equipped new boss Tim Walter with anywhere near the tools to do the job.
Yes, there were serious questions about the Tigers’ home form under Rosenior last season, and the fact they could be chronically shot-shy for match upon match, but, as the cliché goes, surely form is temporary and class is permanent? Could this not have been worked on?
Apparently not, in Ilicali’s mind – whatever went on in that room, which ended with Rosenior’s three-year contract being abruptly terminated, we’ll probably never know, but it seems like there was an irrevocable difference of opinion.
If we are mid-table at Christmas – and unless some sort of miracle happens I genuinely cannot see us mixing it with the top six as things stand – then many will rightly wonder whether this was a risk worth taking. Had Rosenior not turned things around significantly by then, then perhaps mid-season might have been a better time to do it.
It took a long time for Walter to be finally announced, but he was the bookies’ favourite for some weeks, suggesting that he was indeed always the man Acun wanted. Even then, there was little news coming out about potential new signings – and for what seemed like ages, it was all about players going through the exit door.
Among those was Jacob Greaves. Many fans had long suspected that Plymouth was the last time they’d see him in black-and-amber, but when his move to Ipswich was finally confirmed – well, this one hurt.
Greaves was one of our own, and fans of a certain age remember his dad, Mark, with similar affection. Jacob was always destined to go on to greater things, we knew that – but there will forever be a pang in the hearts of City fans that this couldn’t be with his boyhood club.
Also on their way out were Liam Delap and Jaden Philogene – again, no great surprise to anyone. The former is the greater loss; Philogene had his mercurial moments, but in truth he had many more that were less so. He’s got a great future ahead of him, no doubt – but whether he’s the finished article is debatable.
At the time of going to press, Ryan Giles, Cody Drameh and Marvin Mehlem were the only additions to what was a pretty threadbare squad with a lopsided defence, and there were reports abound of City “battling” to sign various targets, from the sublime to the ridiculous as is always the way at this time of year.
The signings will surely come – but the lateness of them is astounding. There was already an enormous deal of pressure on Walter’s shoulders given the fact his predecessor was sacked after finishing seventh. Who knows what he is thinking now? This cannot have been the plan he was presented with.
City’s pre-season has been disappointing, by and large – being tonked by Fenerbahçe and Doncaster Rovers and going down 2-0 at home to Newcastle – but friendlies are meaningless. They just are. Like an unappetising starter before the main course, or a ropey support band before the main act. I just cannot remotely get excited about them.
A HUGE LOSS: No more free McVities biscuits in the media room. Picture credit: Stuart Webster
There were a few other off-the-field moves that raised eyebrows during the off-season, including the naming of Turkish firm Safiport as new principal partner and back-of-shirt and academy sponsor, replacing McVities. Sportsbet.io was also named as principal partner, back-of-shorts sponsor and official Turkish betting partner.
Both were met with a lukewarm response at best – the former mainly by the press, disappointed that this spells the end of free biscuits in the media room, and the latter by just about everyone, gambling companies not really screaming “family friendly sponsor”, after all.
None of this matters, of course, if we get off to a good start on the pitch on August 10 – fans can bicker on social media all they like about sponsors, shirts, left-backs, pubs, whatever. If we’re playing exciting, attacking football and winning matches – which is, after all, why Ilicali made his bold move in May – all else will fade into the background.
I’m just not sure I can see it happening. So I’m off down the bookies to put a fiver on a solid 12th-placed finish…
Please, please, prove me wrong, City!
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