The Tigers endured a frustrating start to 2026 on Thursday afternoon
Sergej Jakirovic admits he believes Hull City will continue to be a threat in the second half of the season, though he craves having as close to a fully fit squad as possible.
City play their final Championship game of a manic spell on Sunday afternoon against play-off rivals Watford, looking to bounce back from their New Year’s Day setback at home to Stoke City.
Prior to that 1-0 loss to the Potters, City had claimed seven points from nine against West Brom, Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough, but have continued to lose key players as they have done throughout the season, with the unfortunate Croatian chief yet to have the luxury of a fully-fit squad to pick from.
Mo Belloumi and Ryan Giles have both sustained hamstring injuries, which will keep them sidelined for prolonged periods, joining John Lundstram, Joe Gelhardt and Eliot Matazo on the sidelines, while Semi Ajayi is away on international duty at AFCON.
Jakirovic has challenged other members of his squad to step up, and we saw that at Boro with Darko Gyabi coming in and scoring the winner, and he wants to see more from others.
“It’s very important (that players grasp their chance),” Jakirovic explained. “I said already, everyone will get the opportunity to show their talent and potential on the pitch, especially in this moment when we are playing every three days.
“I’m not satisfied. I cannot do anything because since the beginning of this season, we have not all been together, and with this team, if we are healthy, then we are very dangerous.
“We have shown that already. Right now, this is not the best that we have, of course, but it’s also an opportunity for someone else to show something on the pitch.”
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