The experienced Championship performer was left out of the squad against the Blades
Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic has confirmed that he will hold talks with Kasey Palmer ahead of this weekend’s clash with Birmingham City at St Andrew’s, and says the Tigers are counting on him.
Boss Jakirovic was unhappy with Palmer’s attitude prior to the 1-0 win over Sheffield United before the international break, but hopes to have the playmaker back in the squad as City look for a second successive victory.
Palmer has been away with Jamaica during the international break and played a key role in a crucial 4-0 win for Steve McClaren’s men to boost their hopes of qualifying for next summer’s World Cup, but he flew out to Kingston under something of a cloud following Jakirovic’s comments.
The 28-year-old was not initially named in the squad for the clash with the Blades, but after Kyle Joseph pulled out through injury, Palmer was called upon to be on the bench. Jakirovic said the former Chelsea youngster wasn’t in the right frame of mind to feature, so he was left out, and as a consequence, the Tigers only named eight of a possible nine substitutes.
A couple of weeks on, the pair will look to clear the air and get Palmer back involved and ready to play his part as City aim for a first away win of the campaign.
“After the game, we didn’t speak at all, but before the game, yes, my decision was that he’s not ready for this game, but just for this game against Sheffield United, so we’re counting on him, and it’s everything about him,” the Croatian told Hull Live.
“Now we’re waiting for him to arrive (back from Jamaica), and then we will speak. Everything is clear. He’s a professional player, our player, so we’re counting on him.
“I think that I’ve shown till now and since I arrived that he is important to us. I don’t have problems or anything. I’m just protecting my team and my group, and that’s it.”
Here at Hull Live, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Hull City coverage and analysis. Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group.
You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe. You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service.
Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.