The left-back missed six games with a hamstring injury earlier in 2026
Ryan Giles is set for another spell on the sidelines(Image: Tony King/Getty Images)
Ryan Giles is expected to be sidelined for the next eight weeks after succumbing to a second hamstring injury in the space of two months.
The influential full-back pulled up during a Derby County attack early in the second half of Hull City‘s 4-2 win over their play-off rivals on Tuesday night.
After a lengthy spell of treatment, a devastated Giles limped off and was replaced by Cody Drameh, with skipper Lewie Coyle filling in at left-back.
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Giles had not suffered with a muscle injury prior to the one he picked up at Middlesbrough just after Christmas, and now he’s picked up another so soon after returning, albeit in the opposite leg.
In keeping with the City’s desperate injury situation throughout the season, Giles is now facing the prospect of missing a large chunk of the remaining weeks, with it hoped he can still play a part in the regular campaign.
Losing Giles is a hammer blow to boss Sergej Jakirovic, having only been given the news earlier this week that loan star Yu Hirakawa will need surgery on the ankle problem he picked up against QPR last weekend, keeping him out for the duration of the season, though he’s back at Bristol City to discuss the next steps with the Japan winger.
The Tigers will, however, welcome back Matt Crooks to the fold for Saturday’s trip to struggling Portsmouth, but the game will come too soon for Eliot Matazo and Toby Collyer. Mo Belloumi and Darko Gyabi remain sidelined, but Semi Ajayi could be involved.
“It’s not good news, unfortunately, Ryan got a three-c hamstring injury, which is a very, very tough injury,” Jakirovic told Hull Live “It’s the other leg, it’s not the same hamstring like against Middlesbrough. Our prediction is eight weeks.
“Right now he’s with the medical staff, therapy and everything. We will try to push to seven weeks, but we will see week by week. It’s a big blow for us because we already lost Matty Jacob in this position, and now Ryan Giles. Now we have Coyley (Lewie Coyle), Cody Drameh, and Akin Famewo, so I will decide tomorrow (Friday) who will be in this position.
“If everything goes by the plan, maybe (he can return) for the last three games. God knows what will happen; we will see. I must find a way, but it’s not a natural position for those players that I mentioned already, so we will see. It’s between Cody, Coyle and Akin Famewo. We must put somebody there, and I will decide tomorrow (Friday). Of course, Ryan Giles and Matty Jacob are in their natural positions, and you can’t replace them so easily.
“Giles had a lot of assists this season from this position, and with Liam Millar, he has a very good connection on the left side. He also does with Oli McBurnie, with Kyle Joseph, so it’s not easy to replace that, but like always, we will try with the team effort.”
Hirakawa is back at Ashton Gate, and while a specialist in London suggests he needs surgery, that decision will be taken by the Robins in the near future, says the Tigers boss.
“He will be in Bristol for a couple of days, then we will decide with Bristol. Maybe if he avoids the surgery, he will come back to us to do his therapy here.
“It’s his decision for the surgery because the biggest problem is that this is the same ankle from the Olympic Games that happened in 2024. This is why specialists decided he must go to surgery, but it’s his decision, and we will see. Right now, he’s in Bristol because he’s a Bristol player, and we have a very good connection with them, and we will decide together.”
There is better news on Matt Crooks, who will be back in the squad at Fratton Park, and so, too, Semi Ajayi, who could return from the hamstring injury he sustained at AFCON last month.
“Crooks is fine. He trained normally. He will be in the squad for the next games, and I will also just manage his minutes. How many minutes he will get, we will decide. He feels fine, and he’s available.
“He (Ajayi) trained with us normally today, which is great news. We will see if he’s with us in Portsmouth or will be in the squad at Ipswich on Tuesday.”
Matazo, meanwhile, is back in full contact training after finally recovering from his ACL injury and will be eased back in over the next few weeks with him set to appear in the Under-21s before making his first team return.
“He’s now started to train with the group in full contact, which is good. He doesn’t have any fear, which is also good. Now we just need him to get back in the rhythm.
“We will manage the minutes. We will try to manage the minutes through the Under-21s and later in our team. It’s important for him to get back on the pitch after 13 months, because it’s a long time, and I’m very happy to see him on the pitch again with us.”
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