The Tigers’ talisman took his tally to 17 for the season with two massive strikes on Saturday
Oli McBurnie celebrates the vital win over Norwich City(Image: Greig Cowie/Shutterstock)
Oli McBurnie has hailed the influence of Hull City skipper Lewie Coyle and defender John Egan, after the pair called a pre-match meeting on the eve of their 2-1 win over Norwich City.
City’s squad is made up of more than 2,000 games of Championship experience, and that know-how played a key part in helping Sergej Jakirovic enjoy a memorable afternoon in the East Yorkshire sunshine.
The Tigers came into Saturday’s final day showdown without a win in six games and needing everything to go their way to secure a play-off place.
Their win, coupled with Wrexham’s draw at home to Middlesbrough, meant City secured their play-off place to set up a semi-final with Millwall.
McBurnie was fired up, he says, after the meeting at the club’s training ground, and it proved pivotal with him scoring the two goals to spark wild scenes at the MKM Stadium.
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“It’s massive [the experience], I think it’s been massive all season, and I think that’s a lot of the reason why we’ve been so successful. At times, we haven’t been the best team to watch or play the best stuff, but that know-how and then the character.
“Even coming off the run that we’ve come off, and then the other two teams on the runs that they’re coming on, we’re probably the least favoured team to go and get it done, but we’ve found something within that dressing room.
“The skip [Coyle] and Eges [Egan] called a meeting yesterday [Friday] with just the boys off their own back,” the Scotsman said. “The leadership showed there and the words that got spoke is something that really resonates with you.
“You guys don’t see that, but the leadership they showed in the meeting we had… I wanted to headbutt a wall when I walked out of that meeting.
“I was raging I had to wait 24 hours to play the game after that meeting. Those little things, the words that they say, it shows you’re surrounded by people you really want to be in the trenches with. You look around that dressing room, and it’s full of that in that changing room, it’s massive.”
McBurnie was also frustrated that Jakirovic was unable to join in the post-match celebrations, owing to the restrictions placed on the Croatian under the terms of his FA suspension.
Jakirovic was slapped with a one-match touchline ban for his sending off at Leicester City last month, and as part of the ban, he was unable to be on the pitch two hours after the game, despite being able to be in the dressing room before, during and after the match.
“I was gutted the gaffer weren’t allowed to come out,” he continued. “I think that’s ridiculous, to be fair. If I was him, I would have just come down anyway, but that’s me anyway. It’s outrageous. Don’t get me started on the FA.
“It’s special. The memories that you have [are fantastic]. I said to Lunnie [John Lundstram] afterwards, imagine now if we hadn’t had the play-offs and we were walking around, it would have been completely different to what it was.
“So, just really thankful we got that done. The fans were excellent. I said to you we’d go out there and try and give them just something to shout about, and they were mint.
“They really gave us that boost that we needed, and hopefully, on Friday, they can be just as loud, or even louder. We need everything we can. In terms of making memories, that’ll be one that I’ll remember for a long time.”
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