The Tigers’ have caught the eye in the opening month of the Premier League season
Hull City’s players celebrate at Stamford Bridge (Image: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
The first international break has arrived, and for the first time, it’ll be a longer one than we’ve become accustomed to with both the September and October matches thrust into one.
For Hull City and their supporters, it presents an opportunity to take stock of where the club are at after a frantic summer following that sensational day at Wembley back in May.
Saturday’s 2-1 reverse at Newcastle United is a measure of just how far City under Sergej Jakirovic have come in a very short space of time, and significant work on the squad.
Many fans would have arrived at St James’ Park with a growing sense of optimism after a stirring performance a week earlier to earn a 2-2 draw against big-spending Chelsea.
Newcastle’s 4-1 thumping at Leeds United last Monday probably raised those expectations a little, with City’s unbeaten start generating significant confidence and momentum. Ultimately, their disastrous first seven minutes on Tyneside, which saw them 2-0 down, proved too hard to hard ot overcome.
It wasn’t, however, for the want of trying and in truth, it was largely one-way traffic in the second half and City were arguably deserving of something for their efforts, but it showed that Jakirovic’s team looked every bit a Premier League-ready outfit.
While many clubs in the top-flight, and not just newly-promoted sides, would go to Stamford Bridge and St James’ Park and be tight, compact and look for the odd chance, City had 14 attempts in West London and another 21 on Tyneside. That’s a hugely encouraging statistic in terms of their approach. The one criticism is that they’ve not been more clinical with those chances, and that’s something they’ll be keen to sharpen up in the coming weeks. The intent, however, is there and should be admired.
For those wondering where my usual rambling have been since post-match at Coventry City on August 29, I’ve been laid up at home following a serious car crash after leaving the CBS Arena. Thankfully, some very helpful bystanders were able to drag me out of the wreckage, and after a spell in hospital, I have been recuperating at home. Hopefully, it won’t be too long until I’m fit and ready to be back in the press box and watch what has been a fantastically thrilling start to the campaign for City. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be in and out, as things start to settle down, and the brain fog begins to ease. A special mention to everyone who took the time to send their wishes; it meant a lot. Anyway, less about me, this is about the wonderful Tigers.
Thankfully, over the past few weeks, I’ve been able to keep close tabs on how things have been going and able to watch the games since that terrific victory in Coventry, and that’s the one thing that has really been apparent.
Just how comfortable the Tigers look at this level. You could be forgiven for thinking City would take some time to get to grips with the Premier League, especially given the sheer amount of recruitment they were forced to go through following promotion. That opening day win over Manchester United was the catalyst; it gave everybody hope, but most importantly, the players.
It showed them that they can compete and be successful. Yes, they rode their luck at times against Aston Villa, but by the same token, Mohamed-Ali Cho and Oli McBurnie both had glorious chances to win it. At Chelsea, after a sloppy start, City recovered wonderfully and again should have won it late on.
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Despite that horror opening seven minutes on Tyneside, and a rocky period after that, Jakirovic’s men showed huge character to respond and fight back. Again, they should have got something from it.
Somebody said to me just before kick-off against Manchester United that they couldn’t see City getting a single point in the opening five games, and though I felt that was a little too pessimistic, that opinion wasn’t isolated. There were plenty who wrote City off before a ball was kicked.
This is a group of players who graft, led by a manager who knows nothing other than hard work. They epitomise his character, his spirit and that of this football club.
Five games in, and Hull City are becoming the darlings of the Premier League. The team everybody wants to see succeed because of how positive they’ve been, how open their owner has been, and how charming, charismatic and bloody good their head coach is.
It’s been a pleasure to watch City continue that fine start over the past few weeks, and those who aren’t on international duty will welcome a little break before the next five-game block. Jakirovic will know nothing has been achieved yet. They’ve given themselves a wonderful platform, but there can be no admiring what’s gone before because the Premier League will bite them on the backside if they don’t return with that same level of intensity and quality.
But what a start it has been. Hull City aren’t in the Premier League for the craic, to make up the numbers and be the whipping boys; they’re here to make a difference, and the opening five games show they have enough about them to be a real threat as the season wears on.
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