There was a welcome sight at Hull City’s training ground this week as the team gathered under new manager Sergej Jakirovic to begin pre-season training. With a focus on ball work as much as anything else in the early days of pre-season, getting away from simply running and fitness has provided an opportunity for Liam Millar to make a return to the City fold for the first time since October last year.
The popular Canadian international is now eight months into his rehabilitation from an ACL injury picked up at Burnley in October 2024, which ended his season and came just before Mohamed Belloumi suffered a similar injury exactly two weeks later at Oxford United in a cruel twist of fate to severely hamper City’s attack and hopes for the campaign.
Millar is not expected to be fit for selection until after the first international break of the season which comes the first week of September, with Jakirovic having made it clear he will not rush back Millar or Belloumi in order to help in the early weeks. In fact, City’s new boss has stressed to the club’s medical staff he would rather be cautious and ensure both are 100 per cent before they are considered for selection.
While that may be the case, Millar has been able to step up his rehab by joining in with the first week of pre-season training, which is understood to have been a significant lift for the player. Taking part in the warm-ups each day, the winger has also joined in with passing drills and the like, allowing him to feel back at home directly among the squad while he still faces two more months of completing his rehab.