Hull’s preseason was thrown into disarray when manager Steve Bruce resigned. Can the Tigers bounce back to secure Premier League survival?
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INS: none
OUTS: Ryan Taylor (released), Sone Aluko (free, Fulham), Mohamed Diame (undisclosed, Newcastle)
THE STORY: The story has changed. A month ago, Hull were gearing up for their third Premier League campaign in four seasons under the direction of a manager who had already guided the club to top flight survival once, and who had stuck with them through relegation in 2014-15 to win promotion at the first attempt. Stability, consistency and top flight experience would ensure the club’s Premier League survival. That was the idea, anyway. Then that manager, Steve Bruce, quit, and much of the optimism around the club went with him.
Bruce reportedly left due to his frustration with the club’s lack of transfer activity — understandable given the Tigers have bought a grand total of zero players so far this summer — but his declining relationship with the club’s vice-chairman, Ehab Allam, may also have been a factor in the decision. Whatever his exact reasons for walking away, Bruce is now gone, and it is time for Hull to look to the future.
Former Manchester United assistant Mike Phelan has taken over from Bruce in a caretaker role that he would like to make permanent, but the club seem to have their sights set elsewhere. They already failed in an approach for Wales manager Chris Coleman and are now reportedly close to a deal with Gianfranco Zola. Phelan, whether he stays or not, must ensure his players are focused and ready for the season ahead.
That will be easier said than done, especially with first-teamers Alex Bruce, Moses Odubajo, Allan McGregor and Michael Dawson all out with long-term injuries. That leaves Phelan (or whoever replaces him) with 15 outfield players to choose from in his senior squad. Reinforcements are badly needed, but without a full-time manager in place, it doesn’t seem like they will be coming anytime soon.
The good news, if you have sifted through all the bad news and still have any optimism left, is that the squad has plenty of Premier League experience. Tom Huddlestone, Jake Livermore, Robert Snodgrass, Ahmed Elmohamady and Curtis Davies have all been there, though their record of doing that is admittedly patchy.
Huddlestone in particular will be important. The former Tottenham player has over 200 Premier League appearances to his name and, while he will turn 30 during the coming season, has one of the sweetest right feet in the division. He has always been something of a ponderous midfielder, guilty of the occasional mental lapse, but if he comes into the season focused and ready to compete, he could be a real difference maker.
Perhaps the biggest question about this team is whether Abel Hernandez, who scored 22 goals in all competitions last season, will be a reliable goalscorer in his first season in the Premier League. Hull scored the third most goals in the Championship last term. If they are similarly prolific this term, they’ll have a chance. Given those injuries — all to defensive players — that may be their only chance.
KEY PLAYER: Hernandez and Huddlestone will both be hugely important, but given the nature of Hull’s injury crisis, Davies might have even more responsibility. He is one of only three fit defenders in the squad who played more than 30 games last season. The other two, Andrew Robertson and Harry Maguire, are both relatively young and have been linked with moves away from the club. The 31-year-old Davies has been around a long time, but he has only three seasons as a Premier League regular under his belt. The fourth will be his most important yet.
MANAGER: It remains to be seen who will take charge of Hull on the first day of the season. Phelan has the job right now and wants the job going forward, and frankly it is unclear why anyone else would be interested in such a seemingly doomed position.
Phelan is best known for his time as a first-team coach and assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. He has an excellent track record as a second-in-command, but it is unclear whether that will translate to success as a manager. He is certainly not lacking in confidence. In 2013, Phelan suggested he was the manger at United in all but name in the last five years of Ferguson’s tenure. That seemed like a ridiculous claim at the time, and it isn’t any more convincing now, but if Hull take a chance on the 53-year-old, we’ll find out how much truth there was in it soon enough.
If Phelan leaves, the current favorite to replace him is Zola. The Italian was a brilliant player, but his managerial career has not been nearly as impressive. His most successful spell came at Watford, where he led the team to the Championship playoff final in 2012-13. He resigned five months later with Watford languishing in 13th place and without a win in almost two months. Zola’s reputation as a player is such that he would likely improve the mood around the squad after a preseason in which the bad news has come thick and fast, but his record as a manager is far from convincing.
BEST CASE: Hull appoint a manager, any manager, and that manager somehow guides them to Premier League safety.
WORST CASE: The worst case scenario has been playing itself out in Hull for months, so at this point relegation would hardly even qualify as a disappointment. How about a record low points total?
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