DON’T WRITE US OFF!
MICHAEL Dawson’s first three years with Hull City read like this: relegated, promoted, relegated.
But, if the pattern is to continue this season, then the Tigers will need to pull their fingers out and fast, according to the former Spurs defender.
Ahead of the weekend, Leonid Slutsky’s side had won just twice in the league all season and sat down in 17th – making their promotion goal appear all too distant. But, after a summer of huge change both on and off the pitch, Dawson is confident the Tigers will be challenging at the top end of the table when it matters.
“Your confidence does take a hit when you are not winning, but I do believe we are in a false position,” said the 33-year-old Hull captain.
“We should have had a lot more wins than we’ve had. We are not a million miles away and it is still early days.
“This is a very new group of lads, with a new manager. We lost a lot of players in preseason, but, even so, we know that is no excuse.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, promotion is the aim. I know we are a long way off, but it is still very early days and two or three wins in a week can get you right back in the mix.”
When Dawson and 20-year-old Jarrod Bowen – one of the few bright spots in a slow start to life under Slutsky – started against Derby earlier this month, they were the only two survivors from the end of the Premier League campaign, where they were relegated under Marco Silva.
That stat alone tells you how much change there has been at the club and it will inevitably take time to become attuned to their Russian manager.
And Slutsky is not shy to tell his players how and where they have gone wrong so far this season.
“That is a massive change. It’s basically a whole new team,” Dawson added. “Marco came in last year and did an incredible job. He gave us a fighting chance, but we came up just short.
“But then the new gaffer has come in, learned the language, to his credit, but has a different footballing philosophy with different principles.
“There has been a lot to learn – 4-2-3-1 is the main formation for us but we have dabbled with three at the back, depending on personnel.
“He (Slutsky) is an approachable guy. If you give everything for him, then he will do the same for you. You can see from watching a game and how animated he gets on the touchline what type of bloke he is.
“I have never come across a manager that didn’t lose it from time to time, and when it needs to be said he says it! Even in his second language!
“There is Premier League quality and Premier League experience most importantly right throughout this squad.” The memories of that special day at Wembley in 2016, when Hull beat Sheffield Wednesday to earn promotion, are still fresh for Dawson and he has already set his sights on a return.
“That day is undoubtedly my best memory in a Hull shirt and probably in the top five for my entire career,” he added. “It is a very special feeling and one that we are chasing again.
“We are still only ten games in. Last time we got promoted we had a bad spell. Everyone has them, and to get into the play-offs you don’t always have to have a great season. You can scrape in and we know we can turn this around.”