TIGERS TO HUNT FOR THE PREM
IF ANYONE doubted that new Turkish owner Acun Ilicali means business at Hull City, events of the past week will surely have cleared them up – and he’s got his eyes on the Premier League.
The Championship club were taken over by the Acun Medya Group ten days ago and enjoyed quickfire victories against promotion-chasing Blackburn and Bournemouth.
However, manager Grant McCann, who guided Hull to the League One title last term, was sacked on Tuesday and rapidly replaced by former Rangers and Ajax striker Shota Arveladze.
In addition, on Wednesday the Tigers announced they had repaid an EFL monitored loan, taken out to support the club last year following more than a season playing behind closed doors. It meant a transfer embargo on the club was lifted.
Ilicali, 52, who was a sports reporter before establishing his own media company, met the media along with new boss Arveladze, below, on Friday.
“I’m here to achieve something that everybody would be very happy about,” said Ilicali. “In football, happiness comes from results. So the first thing is good football, then results of course.
“I will be very, very happy if we come into the Premier League. By the way, I am here for that.
“People are talking about relegation; I am thinking about promotion. My brain always works for the positive, I always have positive thoughts and that makes me dream.”
As for his decision to axe McCann, who had spent two-anda-half years in charge, Ilicali explained: “Now is the time for change and for me to start to build, in what I believe will be an incredibly exciting time for the club.
“I have a philosophy and a belief that our project should start as we mean to carry on and that involves having my team in place. “I understand the timing may look odd, after two good wins, but I wouldn’t be fair or honest if I merely waited for a defeat to change manager. That benefits nobody.” Arveladze, meanwhile, is relishing the chance to take charge in English football after a decade of managerial experience with clubs in Turkey, Israel and Uzbekistan.
The 48-year-old Georgian, who enjoyed a glittering playing career, said: “I want to say thank you to everyone who has given me this opportunity.
“I believe everyone who is in this sector in football wants to be in England and I am just really happy and my family is proud.
Hunger
“I am so motivated and have the hunger to show this club can do well with the boys, with the quality, with the young talents that we have.
“We have parts (of the team) where we are very creative, talented, parts with experience. It’s a good mix.
“I like attractive football when supporters are on your side – they want to come, they love to come to watch the game. We’re going to try our best to show really good football, attacking football.
“The main target is always going to be to win.”
In a statement, former boss McCann said he had had an ‘amazing time’ in charge of the Tigers.
“Winning the League One title and receiving the manager of the year award last season was a huge honour, and I am proud of how the team has adapted to the Championship this season,” he said.
“It is a special football club and I would like to thank the Allam family (former owners) for showing complete faith in me during our journey. I wish them all well for the future.
“To the players, staff, and fans, I thank you with all my heart.
“Through the good and the bad, we stuck together as one big family.”