‘I’ll teach new boys what Championship is all about’: Shota Arveladze
‘IT’S GOING TO BE TOUGH’: Hull City head coach Shota Arveladze. Picture credit: Hull City
By Simon Bristow
Hull City boss Shota Arveladze says he will have to explain the demands of Championship football to his new international signings as the Tigers face a gruelling fixture list early in the new campaign.
It was one of those new captures, the exciting Ivorian midfielder Jean Michaël Seri, who ensured City got off to the dream start in their season opener by scoring a 94th-minute winner at home to Bristol City on Saturday.
But starting with the trip to Preston North End this weekend, the Tigers are already facing seven tough matches throughout the rest of August, and potentially an eighth if they win a Carabao Cup tie at Bradford City next Tuesday.
Although spirits are high in the City camp, there are a lot of new faces, some of whom are more used to plying their trade in other leagues, including the big name signing of Ozan Tufan from Turkish giants Fenerbahçe, his less experienced fellow countryman Dogukan Sinik, the Colombian Óscar Estupiñán, Ghanaian Benjamin Tetteh, and another exciting Turkish prospect in Allahyar Sayyadmanesh.
DREAM START: City picked up all three points in their Championship opener against Bristol City. Picture credit: Hull City
Asked about the busy fixture list this month at an online press conference today, Arveladze said: “It’s not easy and it’s very tough. I’m used to it. The boys who know this league and the schedule they also know. Of course I’m trying to explain this to the foreign boys who are stepping in, to understand how quick games come and what it means.
“So you have to go out and play every single game, stay fit, get better from each game and also get results. So we will see how much how much the whole team understands this eight games or seven games which we have in the early stage of the season, and then we will see what experience they will get from this, because we’ve been through this and we need this kind of collective knowledge again to understand where we are.”
The head coach said of the Bristol match, which saw his side come back from a one goal deficit to win 2-1: “A good start, a good game, and the points always help to having a positive energy for the week. But we know it’s going to be a very tough season, full of ups and downs, and we’ll try to enjoy it of course, not forgetting the challenge we have and the games coming in the next weeks and before we will have even a small break.”
On the injury front, Arveladze said forward Ryan Longman was expected to train with the squad on Friday, but defender Brandon Fleming, midfielder Sinik, and forward James Scott were ruled out.
Hull-born defender Lewie Coyle said he was “extremely proud” to have been made club captain following the departure of previous incumbent Richie Smallwood, describing it as a “huge honour”.
‘A HUGE HONOUR’: New Hull City captain Lewie Coyle. Picture credit: Hull City
Coyle described the win against the Robins as “brilliant”, but no less than City deserved.
The defender said the squad was already showing togetherness and cohesion despite the addition of new faces, with eight new players having arrived at the MKM Stadium.
On the potential language barriers, he said: “In terms of the language the boys are trying extremely hard to do really well with their English, and it’s actually taken me by surprise how many of the new boys’ English is actually really, really good. You can hold conversations, you can have a full-on conversation not just about football, and I think that’s testament to them as people.”
That opening win has put the Tigers second in the early Championship table, with Saturday’s opponents at Deepdale in 16th place following their goalless draw at Wigan.