Gosh the lesser-spotted Fish Out Dolan Out blog post, and a summary of my pre-season thoughts and new season expectations for Hull City AFC in 2024/25.
It might be the only post all season – but I have things to say and I cannot really be too arsed with saying it on Elon Musk’s Hellscape, though I’m sure I’ll be dragged into some pointless argument at some point.
So. It was an interesting pre-season, huh?
- The sacking of Liam Rosenior was quite the shock to me, as it was to many other fans – 7th felt successful to me. Worth adding that I went to about 5-6 games last season (living in London is my main excuse), and watched another 8 or so at home – so I’m not as invested as many fans are, and my patience towards his style of football hadn’t run out.
- I think sacking Liam Rosenior was a mistake. I genuinely felt we were building something, he was respected by fans, players and other clubs loaning us players. He mostly played football the right way (in my view), though I do share the frustration that passing around at the back for 5 minutes isn’t the same as passing out from the back, the latter of which I wholeheartedly support.
- I still trust Acun 100%. I’ve seen various folk on Twitter get worried about a lack of signings, about his involvement with Fenerbache, our finances, etc. Yet he hasn’t let us down yet. He’s made mistakes, and will make more mistakes – but it does still feel like he is one of us.
- Fans being worried about an owner is understandable. Hell, the name of this blog references a dour chairman, in my lifetime we’ve gone through the disinterest of Christopher Needler, the fraud of Hinchcliffe and Buchanan, the disgrace of David Lloyd (still not been in one of his leisure centres), the club-bankrupting Bartlett, and…well…the Allams. So it has to be understandable why some fans will be edgy and suspicious of Acun. I hope Acun understands why this is the case, and why he will be doubted at times, by some fans. Imagine if every partner you had cheated on you, and you found the perfect partner…you’d still possibly have trust issues.
- Just to repeat myself – Acun Ilicali is the best owner we’ve ever had.
- Roadtrip to Strasbourg? In case you were wondering what on earth the photograph is, it is of the city of Strasbourg where Liam Rosenior is now manager. I wish him all the best and will be following results semi-keenly, at least as keenly as I follow any French football team’s results, which is limited. It’s a superb city…I passed through for one day this summer, and was gutted I hadn’t planned to stay longer.
- Selling Jaden Philogene for £13.5m is a good bit of business. Let’s not pretend that every player Acun has signed has been a good bit of business, but it is refreshing that we are willing to spend money on players that should see a return financially, if not also, hopefully, in footballing terms. Selling Greaves might bite us in the arse, but also he deserves his opportunity in the Premier League.
- New signings. I’m not going to pretend that I know anything about them, unless Ryan Giles counts as a signing, but I’m heartened by the fact that we’ve signed a right-back and a goalkeeper, along with a centre-back on loan. Last season it felt like we signed around 478 wingers, yet I was craving a goalkeeper of Darlow’s ability, and also more defenders. And the next Ian Ashbee.
- There is still a lack of combative players. One thing we were clearly lacking against some teams last season were proper combative Championship players, and I fear this may may restrict our potential this season once more. And ohhhhh for the next Ian Ashbee.
- Welcome to Tim Walter. Again, not someone I know much about, but it will be interesting to see if “heart attack football” is more acceptable to the fans, especially if we struggle to convert that into as many points as Liam Rosenior did, though that is just speculation on my part. Is losing an exciting game better than a boring 0-0? Not to me…I prize points over excitement. I’m very keen to see Tim Walter’s style of football, and hope that we all give him and the new players some time at the beginning of the season to work it out.
- I have lower expectations this season. I hope I’m wrong, but my new season expectations are of a season where we start with some defeats, as we learn the system and new players are integrated, but then we pick up somewhat. I’m currently predicting a 14th place finish. Last season (not that I wrote it down) I think I said 10th…though on transfer deadline day I started betting on promotion.
Enjoy the season, folks.