Have Hull City fans every reason to feel concerned?
The January transfer window can be the key to turning a club’s season. Fresh faces can bolster a team’s chances of challenging for the title, qualifying for Europe, or avoiding the drop. The news that a club is unable to dabble in the January market therefore comes as unwelcome news to any Premier League team and this can often have a hugely detrimental effect on their season. In light of this, Hull fans should look away now.
The Tigers have made a slow start to this year’s campaign, and despite home wins against Stoke, Wigan and Bolton, the north-east side have looked a shadow of the one that was taking the Premier League by storm this time last year. The return of former Derby chairman Adam Pearson to the KC Stadium had generated talk of Phil Brown experiencing the axe, and although the only man in the Premier League whose name precedes that of his team (Phil Brown’s Hull?!) may looked to have delayed his P45, he and fellow Hull fans have been dealt a hammer blow.
Pearson, who was brought back by owner Russell Bartlett to sort out the clubs debts of £9 million, has recently said that Brown will have no money to spend in the transfer window, stating that if the Tigers are to stay up then they must do so with their current credentials. Pearson said “Hopefully, we can all come together in the realisation that we haven’t got the chequebook way of getting out of trouble. The only way open to this club is hard work, commitment, desire and unity and spirit and we have got to be better at all those things than Bolton, Wolves, Portsmouth and all those teams around us.”
This news will come as very worrying to Hull City fans as they will expect to watch all their relegation rivals strengthen their squads in January. Brown knows that his side are in for a relegation battle, yet the club do not get on well with a battling style of play. Think back to last season, the Tigers racked up many of their points in the first half of the season, yet they did this playing flamboyant football for a struggling side, with much of their play going through Brazilian Geovanni. It was when they lost this form and were dragged into the relegation mire that they really began to struggle. They did not suit the battle, with only one win in the tail end of the season. Couple this with the news of no finances in January and Hull fans will be very concerned.
Brown must now regroup and re-plan at the KC. He must concentrate on the hard work, commitment and unity that Pearson has highlighted. If Hull are to avoid the drop they need to learn how to battle with Premier League relegation and overcome the fact there will be no new additions to the squad in January. They can however take heart out of the fact that this season their wins have come against sides who equip themselves well with the Premiership battle and this will be welcome prior to their upcoming relegation six pointer with Gianfranco Zola’s West Ham. Furthermore they have welcomed back instrumental midfielder Jimmy Bullard, a face who is likely to help determine whether or not they avoid the drop come May.
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More dribble and no research. Most Hull fans expected another relegation battle anyway – no change. Is a little concern of financial side, but at least you have quoted the 9M debt and not the 23M quoted earlier in the media. However, Pearson has already stated that Jan transfers will be based on how many we ship out on loans and transfers. Part of the problem was Brown or Duffen not shipping out young and fringe players on loan last season – I would estimate 30% of the 9M could have been recouperated against salaries. Pearson is more astute and knows this.
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Obviously Hull knew they would be in for a relegation battle, they were one of the favourites to go down with the bookies at the start of the season. I’ve no doubt that Pearson will help clear up the financial side of things – but obviously limited jan transfers is not ideal for a relegation battle
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I would be more worried if we were in a real mess like Bolton (£13M of debt) or Pompey (£100M? of debt with an owner who doesn’t really know if he has the money or not and if he wants to sell in 6 months). We have seen big improvements already from the Tigers since Pearson came in- alot to do with the reigning in of Brown’s ego- something Duffen certainly could not do as Brown’s ego has only been eclipsed by that of Duffen.
We are in a position to push on and stabalise the club. I expect Pearson will bring some serious finances into the club (either in the shape of a new owner or a significant partner for Bartlett.
As has been stated this is just a rehash of what has already been put out their- with very little thought or really anything analytical about it- TOSH!!
But anyway we are in the PL – better than 74 other clubs in the league (plus those below us in the PL!)
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