Just a few days after the Championship finished, Hull City are once again looking for a new manager as a feeling of deja vu sweeps around East Yorkshire.
A year on from Liam Rosenior’s departure, barely 72 hours after the campaign finished at Plymouth Argyle, owner Acun Ilicali has opted to remove Ruben Selles from his post after less than six months, and is now searching for a fifth permanent manager since his tenure began in January 2022.
Selles took charge with City bottom of the Championship in December and guided the club to safety on the final day of the season, but will now leave the club.
City’s 1-1 draw at Portsmouth was enough to keep them in the league because Luton Town were thrashed 5-3 at West Brom, so the Tigers survived on goal difference. It’s hard to argue with the suggestion that their own survival was as much down to the help of others, rather than them taking control of their own destiny.
Either way, the Tigers stayed in the Championship and that was the most important thing, however it came, and that was the job Selles was brought in to do.
While Ilicali had some doubts about his decision to remove Rosenior 12 months ago, it’s understood that the Turkish businessman has no such concerns about his decision to allow Selles to leave. He held discussions with members of his hierarchy, including Jared Dublin and new head of recruitment, Martin Hodge in Istanbul earlier this week.
Those members of his management team are believed to have been in full agreement that Selles was not the right man to oversee a crucial summer, and the process to appoint a new head coach is well underway.
While Rosenior’s exit was a gut-feeling decision from the owner, Selles’ departure has been more of a collective decision with Dublin and Hodge also airing their concerns about the Spaniard’s decision-making in recent months, and suitability to move City on next season.
Ilicali was the one who drove Selles’ appointment in December, despite Alex Neil producing a particularly eye-catching presentation at interview. John Eustace, Mark Robins and Tony Mowbray were all considered at that time, but Selles’ job at Reading impressed the owner and he decided to appoint the Spaniard after a couple of impressive conversations.
Despite a steady start to life at City, the Tigers’ form since the international break proved particularly alarming for Ilicali and those around him, who felt Selles’ approach was one of the key reasons his side only managed one deflected goal from open play in the remaining eight games.
That period saw them pick up eight points, and while ultimately enough to stay in the league, it was felt the job should have been done sooner, and that has led to concerns moving forward. There will, of course, be those who say that given the situation he inherited, Selles was never going to be able to play his front-footed style, especially in the final weeks when their Championship survival was on the line.
Some supporters will understandably be concerned at yet more change, especially given the year that has followed since City missed out on the top six last term. Three managers in the best part of a year is not the stability they crave, and there will be concern about who comes next.
The appointment of Walter and his lack of suitability raised valid questions about Ilicali’s due diligence, and fans will hope the next one will be sensible, logical and well thought out.
Selles had built a connection with supporters, and his reaction at Fratton Park showed how much survival meant. The intense Spaniard had worked tirelessly since taking over. At times, it wasn’t pretty, and his side was infuriatingly inconsistent.
The inability to back-up wins almost proved so costly, as did the lack of goals from a group of players who found finding the back of the net almost impossible.
In essence, Selles was brought in to keep the Tigers in the league, and he achieved that remit and he will depart with the wishes of supporters who crave some calm at the MKM Stadium.
Change can be a good thing, as long as what comes next is the right move and an upgrade on what’s gone before. That is the challenge and the past year have raised major red flags.
The likes of Dean Smith, Miron Muslic, Alex Neil and Ryan Mason are all likely to be considered, but Tony Mowbray is not on the agenda, and while the club would like Steve Cooper, the former Nottingham Forest boss has previously made it clear that he sees his next job in the Premier League.
Danny Rohl was a previous target for Ilicali, but the hefty compensation package made that unfeasible, and the German is eying a move elsewhere, if, as expected, he leaves Sheffield Wednesday.
The big task facing the club’s football operations is ensuring that lessons are not just learnt, but taken seriously, acted upon and that they do not let this happen again. Recruitment will largely dictate if those behind the scenes have in fact, learned from a season of errors across the board.
As we said in the aftermath of Rosenior’s exit, moving on a manager is part and parcel of football, but it’s what happens next which is important.
Tim Walter was the wrong appointment at the wrong time, and because of how that was handled, City were behind the eight ball from the moment pre-season began.
It took them until the final day of the season to survive, and that simply cannot be allowed to happen again. The next appointment has to be swift, and it needs to follow with wise, sensible recruitment.
Strength, power, speed and ruthlessness are all attributes this squad do not have, and that has to be corrected. Of course, not all business can be done quickly, especially if you’re holding out for loans from Premier League clubs. We know that happens late, but the bulk of their business must be proactive and ruthless, and not left until the eleventh hour.
Adding attacking quality is the big focus. Defensively, they’re largely OK. The full-back areas need work, while the Ryan Giles situation looms large. Perhaps he could be a key part of the new setup.
In midfield there is work to do in a bid to get more goals from that area of the pitch. Steven Alzate and Gustavo Puerta could be moved on while Eliot Matazo will be back from his ACL injury early in the campaign. The future of Regan Slater needs to be resolved.
The Tigers will come back to pre-season training with only Kyle Joseph and Mason Burstow as their frontline strikers. With just two goals in 37 appearances between them, clearly there has to be significant work done there.
Liam Millar and Mohamed Belloumi coming back will be crucial, though they won’t be the saviours. Other work needs to be done elsewhere, even though the basis of the squad is there, unlike last summer when Walter’s anger and frustration were understandable given the situation he was working in, even if he was badly out of his depth.
Ilicali will again fund a period of restructuring in the transfer market, but August simply cannot be written off. City, under their new manager, must be ready to go by the time the first game of the season arrives. They cannot sleepwalk into a relegation battle as they did.
The Turkish owner has overseen a forgettable 12 months, he now must make the right decisions to ensure the next 12 are unforgettable for all the right reasons.