Naylor’s praise for Tigers’ boss Ilicali
Academy boss Richard Naylor has praised the work of Acun Ilicali and Tan Kesler with Hull City’s academy following their takeover in January last year. City were hit hard during the coronavirus pandemic when income almost stopped overnight, and difficult decisions had to be made by clubs up and down the country, with the Tigers far from immune.
Previous owners the Allam family were forced into making various cuts to spending and the club’s academy at Bishop Burton bore the brunt of those reductions.
As things have gradually eased back towards some semblance of normality, the operation has gradually returned to the level it was pre-pandemic, with Naylor able to take on more staff in a bid to ensure the Tigers can continue to scour the area for talent.
“Tan has been really good. When Covid hit, we had to cut back in the academy with no fans in the stadium, so the previous owner Ehab had made some cuts to the previous staff we had, and we’d reduced what we were doing,” Naylor told the Mail.
“Since Tan has come in, where
I’ve asked for extra staff or extra resources they been really supportive and really positive, so I feel like he understands the benefit of it.”
City’s finances were boosted to the tune of £20m last summer when academy graduate Keane Lewispotter was sold to Brentford, and Naylor says such deals only enhance the reputation of the work being done at Bishop Burton, and prove its value.
“It does help when you have a big sale early on when they arrived, so they could see that money straight away and while that helped some of the lads they wanted to bring in, I’m sure,” he explained.
“He (Tan) has been really supportive and the academy has grown over the last 12 months, and almost outgrown the building that we’re in, which is a credit to the new owners and their support, really.”