Hull City finished 21st in the EFL Championship last season, finishing just outside the relegation zone on goal difference. Now, with a new season inevitable, City will be looking to improve and push on up the table in the upcoming campaign.
Ahead of their opening fixture against Coventry City on the 9th of August, I sat down with Hull City fan Elliott Burrill (@TagoTerminator on X) to talk all things City in a Hull City interview.
Before we start, I would like to thank Elliott for taking part in this Hull City Interview. His responses were informative and aim to give you an insight into Hull City as a club currently.
The Hull City Interview
Question 1: Hull Barely Escaped Relegation Last Season. But, How Would You Summarize It?
“We were lucky! One of the consistently toughest, mentally draining seasons I’ve watched as a City fan, it felt like the world was against us, but the most important thing is we are still a Championship club. Goal difference kept us up in the end, and we had a much superior one to those below us, so I believe we just about deserved it despite everything that happened. Hopefully a much better campaign in 25/26!”
Question 2: What Was Your Favourite Moment Of Last Season?
“Our 3-0 win at Sheffield United on Sky comes to mind, however, I’ll go with our 1-0 win at Blackburn. Not because of the result itself, but due to Ryan Longman scoring the winning goal in what turned out to be his final appearance for us. After a tough period with injuries and not being able to get a consistent run of games, it was nice to see someone so hardworking and committed get a great send-off, even if we didn’t know it to be his last app at the time.”
Question 3: What Is Your Opinion Of Hull’s Current Situation?
“It’s been concerning, getting placed under a transfer restriction and nearly a full embargo, although we have avoided the latter by paying off the outstanding fees owed to other clubs. There has been further financial issues reported, including owing money to suppliers, which is simply not good enough.”
“We do have an appeal lodged, and there is optimism we can at least get the restriction reduced, if not fully scrapped. Still, it’s not a great look for our owner, Acun Ilıcalı, who has to take responsibility for this mismanagement, and he has unfortunately lost trust with some of the fan base. Even though his heart is in the right place, the club cannot continue to be run like it has been, and there must be a long-term strategy in place that prevents any further financial-related problems from occurring.”
Question 4: What Is Your Opinion On The Club Currently?
“Very mixed and chaotic! We have a decent squad base to work from, although our transfer restrictions does slightly hamper our ability to improve it. It means we have to be shrewd in our recruitment, something which has been largely haphazard so far under this ownership. Our new manager, Sergej Jakirović, is relatively unknown but has had success wherever he’s previously been, including his last club, Kayserispor, who he saved from relegation. The Championship will be a different test for him, but the early signals are positive; he speaks well and seems to have something about him. Fingers crossed!”
Question 5: What Game Are You Looking Forward To The Most And Why?
“The first one at Coventry, can’t wait to be back at Championship football! Other than that, games against our Yorkshire rivals are always enthralling and feisty affairs, and I’d have to say Wrexham, with it being their first season back at this level for a long time.”
Question 6: Which Area Of The Hull Squad Is The Weakest Currently?
“I would say strikers. We were the lowest scorers in the Championship last season, really struggling to break teams down and convert opportunities. Whilst this isn’t all on the strikers, Kyle Joseph is our current main senior option, and he still has to prove himself at this level. Hopefully, he can become a reliable goal scorer for us going forward, especially with the current transfer restrictions.”
Question 7: Can Sergej Jakirovic Bring Success To The MKM?
“Yes, I think so. Whilst it’s only pre-season, we have managed to win 4 games in a row, and that can only be good for the squad’s confidence and belief in Jakirović as their boss. Contrast that to 12 months ago, we didn’t manage a single pre-season win under Tim Walter, and he was gone by December! Momentum could be crucial for us in our situation to get some early positive results. Plus, having worked under similar circumstances at Kayserispor, Jakirović has an idea of success under troubling off-field issues.”
Question 8: Who Is Hull City’s Best Player Currently?
“2 candidates stand out for me. Our #1 keeper, Ivor Pandur, was exceptional in his first full season for us and went on to win all the senior Player of the Year Awards last campaign. The other is Charlie Hughes, who is establishing himself as a top Championship CB and has been the perfect replacement for Jacob Greaves, with plenty of room to still grow.”
Question 9: Can You Give Me A Score Prediction For Your Opening Game Against Coventry City?
“A very challenging first game for sure, although strange things can happen on the opening weekend. Coventry will be expecting to win, so I believe we could catch them by surprise in their promotion push. Biased, but a thrilling 3-2 win for the Tigers!”
Q10. Can You Give Me A Prediction For How You Think Hull City Will Do Next Season?
“Again, maybe with some bias, I think we will improve on last year’s 21st-place finish despite our current circumstances. Somewhere in the lower to mid table, with Jakirović still in charge for 26/27.”
Thank you for reading the Hull City interview if you have any feedback, please let us know in the comments below.
