The Tigers face another big test of their play-off credentials this weekend
Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic talks to the media (Image: Freddie Yeo/MB Media/Getty Images)
Hull City play their penultimate home game of the regular Championship season on Saturday when they host Birmingham City at the MKM Stadium.
Having gone three games without a victory, City know they need to find some winning form again to boost their play-off hopes.
The Tigers won a five-goal thriller at St Andrew’s back in October, inflicting a rare home defeat on the Blues in what turned out to be quite a tempestuous affair.
Ahead of the game in the East Riding, Hull Live sat down with City boss Sergej Jakirovic to get his thoughts….
The week since losing to Sheffield United
“It’s good. Everything is OK. You can’t change anything, maybe our performance, or some moments of the game, we can. I can say we can maybe do some things differently or better, but you can’t change the past and also the decisions. We got an apology from the head of referees. We don’t have any benefit from that, but at least we have satisfaction.
“I knew it after the game; everything was done. Maybe take the lessons for the next games, and that’s it. We move forward, we have four games to go now. Saturday is a very important game for us if you want to achieve something.
“We have to take three points, no matter who the opponent is. Of course, the opponent is good, like every opponent is difficult, every opponent in this league. We have had all week to prepare everything for Saturday, it’s a very important time for us.”
“We can keep this frustration in every duel in the next games. I can say we are used to it on this; no matter how you win the game or lose the game, it’s always a new game, a new challenge, and we are preparing this new game, and maybe to improve some things that we noticed.
“In these last two games against Coventry City and Sheffield United, we mostly played good. We just need to take advantage of the chances we create to finish the game earlier. We had a few very nice chances, one-on-one with the goalkeeper, or better decisions in the last third. This is something that we need in this moment.”
John Lundstram and Acun Ilicali’s social media exchange
“I can say emotions. He (Lundstram) was very emotional. He apologised immediately. Lunny is an important player. I will not throw Lunny under the bus. This is ridiculous for me. I don’t like this statement at all because I’m thinking this is just food for the media. Now it’s finished.
“Maybe he should wait for the next day, and then, when you are calm, and you have a calm head, then (it’s better). I think that he wrote everything from his heart, not to insult anybody, Hull City fans or Sheffield United, especially. There is no reason for that, and that’s it, but statement on statement on statement and then…
“Nothing will distract us. We have a good mood because we are playing a very good season. We are sportsmen, you wanna achieve something, and you are near, and then we will try to achieve it.
“Everything is good. I can say it’s a fantastic group of players because of their behaviour, because of everything. You can see that on the pitch they’re fighting for each other and there are no problems at all.
“Of course, I spoke with Mr Chairman, I spoke with Lunny, everything is fine, I have my opinion. I’m very direct in my opinion, so I said to Mr. Chairman how I see situations, and when you write a statement, there is no way that you will not touch anybody. Maybe after the game, if you do something and you will not do that, the next day, one hundred per cent.
“Statement from Mr Chairman, statement from Lunny, for me, if you look at it positively, it’s OK. Always, somebody can find something in one word. This is the reason why I don’t have social media.
“This is a football at the end of the day, of course, sometimes you are very happy, sometimes you are very disappointed, this is normal, but this is one day, when you wake up the next day, you see, life is beautiful.
“We’re in a fantastic position, and we create our own destiny. We have everything in our legs and our hands, whatever we’re playing with, the legs. If we cannot win some games till the end of this season, you don’t deserve to be there; it’s very simple.”
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest Hull City news and analysis on our Hull Live FB page
A reunion with Chris Davies after October’s controversial meeting
“There’s always lots of drama when we play away games. In this Championship, we lost some games at home, and our behaviour was very fair; there was nothing to say to anybody. I drink a beer after the game and invite all the staff, so we don’t have any problems.
“Mostly we have problems in away games. Stoke, Preston. We don’t have any problems with the technical staff or the coaching staff, which is very strange.
“If it’s a male on the pitch, how can you stop this? We try to manage them, but they are very young, very powerful, but keep it on the pitch. What happened on the pitch, stay on the pitch, and that’s it. After it’s very easy.
“No, we didn’t (speak since the game). We will meet on Saturday. I understand him completely in this situation but he must understand me or my staff as well. This is football. I don’t have any problems with Chris Davies or anybody from Birmingham.
On what he’s made of the Blues since their last meeting
“They started good and then had some problems there, I don’t know. I’m not involved, but I saw that they invested a lot in the January transfer window.
“They invest a lot. They bought this Spanish player (Carlos Vicente), who is a very good player who had a very good season last year in Alaves, so they have individual quality as well, some good players, but I don’t know what happened.
“I’m not involved, but they are a good team. Still, they’re good, they played a very good away game against Ipswich. They lost, but they were very good, so we have to be very good on Saturday.”
The opportunity ahead
“It’s very exciting. Whatever happens, we have to remember we have played a fantastic season. We have to enjoy this. We will see.”
A message to the fans?
“Sold out stadium and the big support, very loud, like Coventry, like Derby, like every home game, of course, we have to do everything to make sure our performance is good, and then it will be everything good.”
You can listen to the full interview in the latest episode of the 1904 Club podcast right here
Here at Hull Live , we are dedicated to bringing you the best Hull City coverage and analysis. Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group.
You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe. You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.