Whether Hull stay or go, Silva has made his mark
Portuguese manager has surpassed expectations
Inter Milan thought to be among interested clubs
Where there was division, Marco Silva brought unity. Where there was discord, he created harmony. Where there was disillusionment, he inspired hope. Regardless of whether he keeps Hull City in the Premier League, the Portuguese has already exceeded expectations and boosted his own ambition.
Silva did not take the Hull job because he was confident he would save them from relegation. He took it because he wanted to prove himself in the Premier League, yet he could still pull off the unthinkable if his team win at Crystal Palace this lunchtime.
Silva spoke of needing a miracle when he replaced Mike Phelan in January, a young, ambitious manager desperate for a chance to showcase his talent in England. Hull were in the bottom three, had won one league game since August and were about to sell two of their best players, Robert Snodgrass and Jake Livermore. They also lost record signing Ryan Mason to a fractured skull shortly after.
The club was being torn apart by the conflict between fans and the Allam family, who own it. His first game, a 2-0 FA Cup win over Swansea, was boycotted by supporters. Yet he has succeeded in a challenge Steve Bruce walked away from and Phelan looked incapable of meeting.
In many ways, Silva has already achieved his aim. He got a foot in the door in England and has kicked it open. Whatever happens today, Silva is no longer an unknown. Whatever happens to Hull, Silva’s name has been muttered in boardrooms up and down the country, with Southampton keen if they end Claude Puel’s reign. Already highly rated in Portugal and Greece, after spells at Sporting Lisbon and Olympiakos, he is now mentioned at some of the biggest clubs in Europe, with reports in Italy suggesting he is also of interest to Inter Milan.
Yet it is England he wants to call home. If Hull do topple from the top flight Silva will not go with them – a relegation clause ensures that. Even if they cling on, it is by no means certain he will stay. The 39-year-old’s ambition should not be doubted. He will be grateful to Hull for the chance they gave him, but that does not mean he is betrothed to them. If he gets a better offer next month he will be off.
For now, that nagging doubt can be buried long enough for Hull to make one final thrust for safety. A shock defeat by Sunderland last weekend means their fate is no longer in their own hands. A win over Palace, though, would ensure that Palace, and Swansea, could be caught on the final day of the season.
“My future is not important, the next game is important,” said Silva. “It’s the most important game of the season for us. It is possible there is a final twist. We need to win this game and then we will see about the last weekend.
“It’s possible that Crystal Palace will be finding it tough – they did not think they would be in this position. We will play it like a final.”