The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Positive ideas have Robertson hopeful
Full-back thinks new boss’s influences can start to pay off in Old Trafford first leg
Hull City defender Andy Robertson believes newly-appointed boss Marco Silva’s influence can spark a revival – starting tonight in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Hull have slipped to the bottom of the Premier League, a position which cost Mike Phelan his job and saw the Tigers appoint the Portuguese last week.
Robertson was one of few to have heard of Silva before his shock appointment at the KCOM Stadium thanks to former Dundee United team-mate Ryan Gauld.
Attacking midfielder Gauld played under the new City boss at Sporting Lisbon and spoke positively about a manager who has made a good early impact on Robertson.
“My first impressions have been very good,” the Scotland left-back said.
“Since the day he came in, it has been a little bit hectic because he came in Thursday and we had the game Saturday.
“He was obviously trying to get his ideas across, we knew he couldn’t get them all across by the time Saturday came. We were all realistic.
“He just said to go into it with an open mind and if we do that he can improve it and all the players believe that.
“It’s never nice when people lose their jobs, especially the good people who did, unfortunately, but that’s the way of the football world. We all know that.
“I suppose we never really had that change under Mick. He kept most of the staff the same – now there is completely new people.
“It is the first time I have ever worked under a foreign manager so it is a wee bit different, but all the players are buying into it.
“All his ideas are coming across well and hopefully we can show that in the coming games.”
The 39-year-old manager has an eyewatering list of defensive issues to deal with ahead of tonight’s game with a team on an eight-match winning streak.
Michael Dawson was forced off against Swansea with a shoulder injury, while Harry Maguire is another doubt for a match that fellow centre-backs Curtis Davies and Alex Bruce will miss through injury.
Hull’s defensive options are further weakened by Ahmed Elmohamady’s departure for the African Nations Cup and Moses Odubajo’s serious knee injury.