Hull City owner Acun Ilicali says he will meet with the owner of Turkish Super Lig outfit Kayserispor over the ongoing war of words surrounding Sergej Jakirovic in Turkey.
Ilicali has come under fire from president Nurettin Açıkalın for his approach to the Bosnian, who is expected to be granted a work permit after a meeting with officials on Wednesday.
Jakirovic only took charge of the struggling side in late January before guiding them to safety with some impressive results along the way. But it looks like he will be exiting the one-and-a-half-year contract penned in the winter earlier than planned with a move to English football edging closer.
City are understood to be paying a significant fee to get the Bosnian out of his contract at the Kadir Has Stadium, while the 48-year-old former Dinamo Zagreb boss will command a sizeable salary in East Yorkshire.
“We worked in harmony and carried the team to success,” the frustrated Keyseri chief said. “We had plans for the new season. Our coach did not say goodbye to us. He did not say he was leaving and would not come. However, the approach of Hull City president Acun Ilıcalı is not nice at all. This club has a president and a sports director. Permission was not received for a meeting.”
In responding to those claims, Ilicali, speaking on Turkish television had this to say: “I will meet with Nurettin Açıkalın (Kayserispor president). We did not steal anyone’s coach. We are not people like that in terms of style. We do certain things in our relationships very well. We will also meet with our dear president. If a coach wants this, just as we allowed Ferdi (transfer to Brighton), the same situation applies.”
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