Ruben Selles may no longer be the man in the Hull City dugout at the MKM Stadium, but his comments at the end of the season following the Tigers’ final day survival should resonate for the new head coach.
Selles guided City to safety on the final day with a nervy 1-1 Fratton Park draw to end a positive season on the road, but immediately called out the need for the Tigers to correct their home form.
The Tigers ended the season bottom of the home form table with just five wins from their 23 games. Those struggles contributed hugely to their battle at the bottom. Just 23 of their 49 points came in front of their own supporters. Away from home, however, City finished seventh in the league with notable wins at four of the top eight, including play-off finalists Sheffield United and Sunderland.
Since returning to the Championship, however, the Tigers have not managed to hit double figures of home wins, with nine their highest in the 2022/23 campaign.
Liam Rosenior’s side missed out on a place in the top six last season by three points, but it was their poor form at the MKM Stadium which cost them. Just eight wins saw them down in 13th place.
In fact, in the 92 home outings across the past four seasons following their promotion from League One, the Tigers have mustered just 29 wins. Their highest points total was 33 in both the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns.
That’s despite crowds increasing significantly since Acun Ilicali took charge of the club in January 2022. Despite their struggles, City averaged just under 22,000 this season with a host of sell-outs.
And though Selles will not be the man to lead City into the new season which kicks off in early August, his comments on improving results at the MKM Stadium is a must if the club are to have any hope of being successful next season, and that will apply to the new head coach.
“It’s a task that we need to address together, that home form,” he said. “It’s something that we need to create together. That atmosphere at the stadium, that togetherness that we had in the games away, if we can have that at home, we will be in a really good place with a powerful feeling. Every team that does things in the proper way (going for promotion) have that connection between the players and the supporters.”