Hull owner sacked Rosenior over 'football philosophy'

Acun Ilicali said Liam Rosenior's sacking was down to a difference in football philosophy

Liam Rosenior was sacked by Hull City's owner over a difference of opinion on the team's style of football.

Acun Ilicali told BBC Humberside in an interview on BBC Sounds that he feels the 39-year-old will be a successful coach despite terminating his stay at the MKM Stadium on Tuesday.

Hull finished the Championship season three points outside the play-offs and many fans were shocked by the decision to part company with Rosenior.

Ilicali, a Turkish media mogul, said that he made it plain from his first day in charge that he wanted attacking football and felt Rosenior had not offered that.

"It was a difference in opinions," he said. "Liam is a very good coach and will be very successful. He is young and is a very good character who makes the team love him.

"There are so many positive things, but at the end of the day me and my team are dreaming of something for this club and there is a football style we want to see on the pitch.

"I can't say what the biggest difference is. Liam's football philosophy is very good and may be successful but we didn't see it suiting our character for the future."

Rosenior was appointed in November 2022, with Hull one place above the Championship relegation zone, and guided them to safety with just five defeats in their final 24 games of the season.

'Attacking, entertaining'

He followed that by keeping the Tigers in the hunt for a top-six finish until the final day of the 2023-24 season, when defeat at Plymouth Argyle ended any chance of them making the play-offs.

Asked to expand on how his ideas differed from those of Rosenior, Ilicali said: "I want offensive football. I want an attacking, entertaining team. I said it from the first minute I bought this club.

"I said I would rather lose 3-2 than have a boring 0-0. If you are counting the points and draw every game 0-0 you are going to get relegated. If you lose 3-2, it means you will win another game 4-1.

"My football brain is completely full of a successful and entertaining football style. Liam has a great philosophy but there are different styles of football in the world - Liam's direction can be successful but we want to see different things.

"It is not good for me to go to a coach and ask him to play a different way when he has a certain style of football."