The experienced campaigner has been a key part of Sergej Jakirovic’s squad this term
Legendary former manager Neil Warnock has praised Matt Crooks and believes that if Hull City are to continue their fine season, then he’ll be a major reason why.
Crooks has been an influential figure for Sergej Jakirovic this season, despite missing six games earlier in the season with an ankle injury.
The 31-year-old Yorkshireman has netted two goals and has three assists so far, with City sitting nicely amongst the promotion-chasing pack in the Championship, and Warnock feels he can add significantly to that tally in the second half of the campaign.
Warnock signed Crooks from Rotherham United when he was manager at Middlesbrough in 2021, and says his attitude typifies the good feeling around the Tigers’ dressing room under Jakirovic.
“When you see them playing well, do you know why they’re playing well? Cos they’re loved. If you put an arm around a player and you can tell he’s being loved, I mean, I love Matt Crooks,” Warnock told Sky Sports. “I can tell with the look of the group of them that they’re a good team together, aren’t they?
“You can imagine the dressing room, can’t you, the banter, they’re a good group of lads. I was daft. I paid 1.2 million for him for Rotherham; I’d had a few drinks that night.
“He just epitomises everything about it. You can play him left wing, you can play him up front, you can play him in the number 10 role, and you can play him behind the striker. I was surprised when Middlesbrough let him go because I felt that with your Hayden Hackneys of this world, he’d get 10 or 15 goals, Matt Crooks.
“I think he will at this level with the team he’s got now. Defensively, he’s there when the corners are coming in, the long throws are coming in. He’s the one that’s winning it. The only problem I had with him, I used to tell him to get his hair cut a bit, his hair used to get in his eyes.”
Warnock also feels that City could go all the way this season, given how tight and competitive the Championship is. Owing to Sunday’s postponement, the Tigers slipped out of the top six, but remain firmly in the mix and looking up with optimism.
“The league is so competitive, it’s wide open, it could be anyone’s,” Warnock continued. “It could be Hull’s season this year. Why can’t it be?”
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