Deadline day signing Tim Iroegbunam says life at Hull City has been amazing, and he is relishing the start to his career in East Yorkshire following his move from Everton.
The 23-year-old midfielder is hoping to earn a first Premier League start for the Tigers at Fulham on Saturday, after overcoming a groin and knee injury in recent weeks.
He managed a cameo against his former club last Sunday, though he looked short of full fitness having been restricted to just three appearances for the Tigers since his big-money move from coast to coast.
“It’s definitely been amazing from the first moment I signed,” the midfielder said. “Normally, it takes me quite a while to settle in, but just in the first few days, I felt settled in, and I was welcomed hugely. Everything about it, the players, the staff, the fans, the whole feeling around the club is just amazing.”
While he may not have seen a huge amount from his new employers last season, the level of competition and quality in Sergej Jakirovic’s squad has given him real hope of the club continuing its terrific start.
Though City will be underdogs in most games this season, some have suggested going to Craven Cottage this weekend; they’re actually favourites, given the respective starts of both clubs.
“Last year, when I was playing at Everton in the Premier League, you don’t really watch many Championship games, so you’re probably not expecting the level to be as high as the Premier League. You can see everyone here has stepped up, and they’ve shown how much quality this team actually has.
“Most games we’re going to be going into, people are going to be thinking that we’re the underdogs and like almost expected to lose, but you can see how with our performances and how many points we’ve picked up, how much of a good team we actually really are.
“I think every Premier League game, anything can happen. It doesn’t really matter about form, how teams are doing, it’s just whatever happens on the day.
“I know with them, especially being at home, that they’ve got something to prove, so they’re going to be going all at it, and also I think this is a game where we could get three points. We’ve picked up a lot of draws, so hopefully this is a game where we can get another three points and head more in that upwards direction.”
“The underdog mentality, I feel like it gives us a boost cos we can just go out there and show what we’ve got, leave it all on the pitch, and whatever happens happens. So far, we’ve done well, and it’s most definitely a positive start.”
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Given City have conceded goals in the first 10 minutes of their last two away games, just down the King’s Road at Chelsea, and then Newcastle, Iroegbunam says the Tigers must be ready for a swift start from their hosts.
“We’ve just got to make sure that we start the game properly,” he continued. “We don’t go making any mistakes, and we’re just ready for whatever they come at us with. They’ll probably start strong, because they’re at home and they need a result just like us, so yeah, we just have to make sure we’re ready for it.”
And is he ready to be thrust in from the start, if required? “Yeah, I’d most definitely say I’m at that stage where I’m ready to start. It’s just whenever I get the opportunity, I’ll be ready to take it.”
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