'I want results & entertaining football' - Ilicali

Acun Ilicali completed his takeover of Hull City in January 2022

Hull City owner Acun Ilicali says he wants to have stability at the club but does not view changing managers as a problem.

The Tigers, who avoided relegation from the Championship on goal difference this season, sacked Ruben Selles last week, just six months after the Spaniard replaced Tim Walter.

"People say consistency is very important and I agree, of course it is good to go along with your coach," he told BBC Radio Humberside.

"We have changed too many, that's true. But who can say that changing coaches too much is killing a club?"

He added: "Nottingham Forest changed nine coaches in four or five years and now they maybe go to the Champions League, which is my dream."

Ilicali sacked Liam Rosenior last May after the East Yorkshire side had finished seventh in the Championship and has also sacked Grant McCann and Shota Arveladze since taking over in January 2022.

When the Turkish entrepreneur was asked about criticism that they were becoming like fellow second tier side Watford, who have not started and ended a calendar year with the same manager since 2010, he said: "I wish I was the new Watford because they have been to the Premier League."

Rosenior led Strasbourg to a seventh-placed finish in Ligue 1 this season but Ilicali defended his decision to sack him.

"We won two home games between January and May so I wanted to change," he said.

"I want results and entertaining football. We had to change because we din't have the results and we didn't have entertaining football but some of the fans didn't want to change and I respect that."

Ilicali said that he could not be "satisfied" at only just avoiding relegation and with the fact Selles' side did not score two goals from open play in the same game in any of their final eight matches.

"Ruben is a fantastic guy and a good coach but at the end of the day we have to be a team together and trust each other and if we don't have the full trust then I don't think it can last," he said.

"We're happy we stayed in the league but I'm not happy about the general picture.

"I don't make this kind of decision by myself. We have a football team and everyone was in agreement and on the same page."

Five candidates for new boss

Emre Belozoglu's Antalyaspor are 12th in the 19-team Turkish Super Lig with two games to play

Reports have linked the Tigers with a move for Antalyaspor manager Emre Belozoglu.

The former Newcastle midfielder was given a two-and-a-half-month suspended prison sentence for racially abusing Trabzonspor midfielder Didier Zokora in a match against Fenerbahce in 2012.

The 44-year-old was also accused of racism three times during his spell in the Premier League between 2005 and 2007 but English Football Association investigations found no proof.

Ilicali, who is also vice-president of Fenerbahce, said he did not believe Emre was racist but would not proceed with looking to appoint him if the fans were against him being hired.

"I love my fans and they are very important. If our fans are very against a coach then why should I make them unhappy of course?" he added.

"Emre is a candidate but I leave it to their heart. I will not push against them. I am here to make them happy."

Ilicali said the club had five candidates and that they hoped to have a new head coach in place in 10 days time.