Grant McCann: Hull City sack manager less than a week after takeover

Grant McCann won promotion back to the Championship last season as League One champions

Championship side Hull City have sacked manager Grant McCann, less than a week after they were taken over by the Turkey-based Acun Medya Group.

McCann, 41, was in his third season in charge of the Tigers, having steered the club back to the Championship last term following relegation.

He departs the Tigers despite back-to-back wins which moved the club 10 points clear of the relegation zone.

"These matters are never easy," chairman and owner Acun Ilicali said.

"During the process, Grant has always remained professional and fully focused on the team, and will forever be a friend of the Tigers. I'm sure Grant will be successful in whatever his next challenge is.

"However, 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."

In addition to McCann's departure, assistant boss Cliff Byrne has also left the Tigers, as the Acun Medya Group prepares to bring in a new coaching set-up.

McCann's first season at Hull seemed to unravel following the January sales of Jarrod Bowen and Kamil Grosicki, with the club plummeting down from mid-table with a second part of the season slump into League One.

The Northern Irishman restored their second-tier status in leading Hull to the League One title the following year, and had steadied the side enough so far this term, including beating promotion contenders Blackburn and Bournemouth in his last two games in charge.

"I have a philosophy and a belief that our project should start as we mean to carry on," Ilicali added. "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. I will continue to be transparent with you, our fans. Our new head coach will be announced very shortly."

Hull's next Championship fixture is at home against Swansea City on Saturday.

Analysis - 'The new owner wanted his own man'

David Burns, BBC Radio Humberside commentator

I know some people might be thinking: "Barmy! Why sack a manager whose team has just beaten two of the top three in the Championship?"

Well it's not really a surprise, the club's new owner Acun Ilicali had made the decision some weeks ago as he moved towards the takeover of the club last week. In fact if you'd have asked the majority of fans two weeks ago when the team lost to Stoke if they wanted to keep McCann, most would have said they'd help him pack his bags.

The new owner wanted his own man and ex-Rangers and Ajax striker Shota Arveladze is expected to be announced as the new boss before the weekend's match with Swansea.

As to how McCann will be judged in the Tigers' history? Well, last season he delivered their first title win in 55 years as they won League One, but many had made their mind up about him the season before when they crashed out of the Championship with one win in 20.

His tactical inflexibility and blunt refusal to recognise the relegation possibilities coloured a lot of people's thinking about him.

He deserves credit for last season's turnaround and indeed digging them out of the relegation mire this season, but he'll also be seen as the 'man' of the previous owners - the Allams - and that I suspect counts against him as well.