The Tigers’ head coach watched from Acun Ilicali’s box
Sergej Jakirovic and Marko Salatovic celebrate at the MKM Stadium(Image: Greig Cowie/Shutterstock)
Sergej Jakirovic admitted he was frustrated at being unable to enjoy Hull City‘s post-match celebrations on the MKM Stadium pitch, under the terms of his touchline ban from the FA.
Jakirovic was dismissed at Leicester City last month and opted to serve his ban against Norwich City on Saturday, but had to watch from the stands as Oli McBurnie’s brace sealed a memorable 2-1 win to clinch a top-six spot.
As part of his ban, Jakirovic was not allowed to be on or near the pitch for two hours after the game, despite being able to deliver team talks inside the dressing room before the game, at half-time and full-time, as well as conduct his post-match media duties.
The Croatian also joked that if he saw the match officials around the dressing room areas, he would have to close his eyes, as he urged a rethink of the laws that clearly lack common sense.
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“In the rules, I can join on the pitch two hours after the game is finished,” the City boss told Hull Live. “Which is unbelievable, and we have to change this. It’s hard, but it’s easy in the end because we won the game and reached the play-offs. I felt myself like the chairman. I felt like Julius Caesar (celebrating).
“It’s very strange because the game is over. In Turkey, for example, when you are sent off, 15 minutes after the game, you must be in a special room, and then after 15 minutes they come, you can go wherever, but here two hours after the game you can’t go on the pitch, which is unbelievable. I think that they need to change it.
“I can do my pre-match meeting, in half-time I can be there, and after the game I cannot go on the pitch. It’s very simple. If I meet the officials, I must close my eyes. They told me I cannot meet the officials. I’m not allowed to meet, maybe in the corridor. If I’m going to my dressing room, next to our dressing room is the official dressing room, so they can meet us, I was very quick (to avoid them).”
Jakirovic was content with handing over duties to Dean Holden, Andy Dawson, and his other coaching staff, with Marko Salatovic also banned for a second consecutive game after accumulating six yellow cards.
“It’s very hard (not being on the touchline) because this is my normal position. But I also believe in Dean. Also, Marko (Salatovic, assistant manager) was not on the bench. We immediately made a reorganisation there, and Dean, Andy Dawson, Andelo (Roguljic, coaching analyst), Erbil (Bozkurt, goalkeeping coach) did a great job.”
Attention for City now turns to the first leg of the play-off semi-final on Friday night at the MKM Stadium against Millwall, with Jakirovic’s players set to return to training on Tuesday to begin preparations. “We will recover good for two days and then full concentration from Tuesday for Millwall,” added the City chief.
LISTEN: The final day 1904 Club podcast special with Jakirovic, McBurnie and Coyle
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