Hull City

Image source, Rex Features

Hull City announced that they had dismissed head coach Tim Walter on Wednesday after just 18 games in charge.

The Tigers are currently 22nd on the Championship table and at risk of relegation, though they finished seventh at the end of last season's campaign under former boss Liam Rosenior who was sacked in May for failing to make the play-offs.

Tuesday night's 2-0 loss to Sheffield Wednesday seemed to be the final straw for owner Acun Ilicali - though prior to the match, he had claimed in a BBC Radio Humberside interview that a bad result would not endanger the German's job.

As for the fans, well it seems that many of you are not too aggrieved to say auf wiedersehen to your latest manager.

Williams: Hate calling for managers to go but it's been awful and progressively getting worse. It was not ever going to be a long term solution. Right decision to move on. Let's provide some stability to claw back a terrible season start.

Ridgway: He should have gone before the last international break and given the new manager more time (and points) to work with.

There are those of you who are still feeling sore following the controversial sacking of Rosenior.

Jeremy: Those who opposed the sacking of Rosenior will be saying quite rightly "I told you so" to the club's owners.

Karen: Shouldn't have sacked Rosenior. Losing five important players in Delap, Greaves, Morton, Carvalho and Philogene certainly hasn't helped, but keeping Rosenior may have resulted in their clubs allowing Hull to take more players on loan. Any upheaval in a team removes confidence and affects transfer options.

But Walter does still have some supporters among the Tiger's fans who feel that his reign was just too short to make an impact.

Debee: Thomas Franks first 10 games in charge… W 1 D 1 L 8 why don’t owners learn from this?

An offbeat view: Not the same team but Alex Ferguson took seven years to win the title. He was very nearly sacked. Clubs simply don't give managers the time to build a team these days. They expect instant success, a quick wave of a magic wand and there you go.

As for who you would like next, there's been many ideas floating around with recently available names such as ex-Coventry City boss Mark Robins and Steve Cooper, who took Nottingham Forest to the Premier League, being among them.

Mighty Tigers: At least they have done it now and not in January. Gives time to get a new manager in and some good loan deals identified ready for the transfer window. Mark Robins would be a good shout but not sure he will come. Could actually just give the role to Andy Dawson, a long term servant who knows the club and players well.

Steven: Well. Cooper is available and you could do worse than him. Times change, Hull were once a really well run club and seemed to do well. Now languishing in the wrong end of the Championship it's time to act so it's a good time but nobody should take pleasure in someone losing their job.

Mike White
BBC Radio Humberside sport editor

Image source, Rex Features

After just 17 league games and one abject Carabao Cup defeat, Tim Walter's time in East Yorkshire is over before it ever got going.

Hull have secured just three wins all season and have lost the past four to leave them in the bottom three. The term "sleepwalking towards relegation" has been used on more than one occasion by fans and pundits alike.

Walter had boldly proclaimed that "nobody is playing my way", which is a lofty perch to place yourself on but only creates an even bigger and harder fall if it doesn't pay off - and it hasn't.

The "progressive" playing style is one that has had fans scratching their heads in a confused state since day one and there have been too many times when the players appeared to feel that way as well.

Plus, he has increasingly alienated himself from many of the supporters with various public comments and actions that have only incensed an already anxious and edgy fanbase.

"Walterball" did not produce exciting, high-energy, high-intensity play and 17 goals from 18 games was not as advertised, leaving many still questioning owner Acun Ilicali's decision to part ways with Liam Rosenior in May after a seventh-placed finish.

Of course, that wasn't all plain sailing either as the results and many performances in the second half of last season fell way short, but Rosenior had galvanised the club on and off the field and was seemingly influential when it came to attracting players like Liam Delap, Jaden Philogene and Fabio Carvalho.

However, City's owner chose to tear it all down and go again with a manager/head coach who was unproven in one of the toughest leagues in football and having only experienced moderate success in his native Germany.

It should be said Walter was not the only one to blame in all of this. The summer recruitment was simply not good enough and they have been left with a squad lacking in some key areas, and they have been toothless in attack as a result.

However, a persistence with a "philosophy" that was not producing the required results has ultimately led to the end of a short and disappointing spell for Walter.

If the spotlight was on Ilicali following his last managerial change, the focus and scrutiny has just ramped up even further for the Turkish media mogul to get the next one right with the worrying but all-too-real possibility of this team being in a relegation fight.

Image source, Rex Features

BBC Radio Humberside reports that the Hull City have held a board meeting this morning to discuss the future of boss Tim Walter.

The Tigers slipped to a 2-0 defeat by Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night and are now winless in nine matches.

The German took over from Liam Rosenior in May but has won just three of his 17 league games in charge.

Speaking before the reverse to the Owls, owner Acun Ilicali had told the station that he would not sack Walter regardless of the result and asked for patience.

However, the Tigers were booed off by the home fans that remained at the MKM Stadium at full-time and they have won only one of their nine games in front of their own supporters this season.

Hull City are looking for their first win in nine league games (D3 L5) as they host Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday.

The run of lacklustre results leaves the Tigers in the precarious position of 22nd on the Championship table, three points ahead of Portsmouth in 23rd but, equally, three points off Luton in 16th.

Meanwhile the Owls dominated their 1-1 draw against Cardiff at the weekend and will be hoping that their form sees results this time around as they aim to climb out of the bottom half with a rare away win.

• Hull have won four of their last five league games against Sheffield Wednesday but did lose 3-1 against them on New Year’s Day this year.

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost their last three away league games against Hull since winning 1-0 in April 2018.

• Hull have won just two of their previous 16 home league games (D9 L5) and could lose successive such games for the first time since November 2022.

• No Championship side has lost more away games since the start of last season than Sheffield Wednesday (19), losing four of their seven such games this season (W2 D1).

• Sheffield Wednesday’s Josh Windass has scored two goals in four Football League appearances against Hull, netting last time out against the Tigers in January.

Hull City head coach Tim Walter is confident he has the full support of owner Acun Ilicali following a meeting during the international break.

Ahead of Saturday's Championship clash with Luton Town, Walter stated he still felt secure in his role after Ilicali spelt out an explanation for the club's slow start to the season to fans in the Hull Daily Mail, external.

"I know because we have a really good relationship, so, for your side [the media] it may be new but for my side its not new," Walter told BBC Radio Humberside.

"We talked all the time about long-term [ambitions] but if you believe him more than me then that’s also OK, because he’s the owner then that’s fine for me.

"I’m very confident, I’m very happy about this.”

Walter has been under scrutiny by some sections of supporters following a run that has seen them fail to win in their last seven league matches and fall to 19th.

After 15 games last season, with Liam Rosenior in charge, the Tigers were ninth and eight points better off than they are now.

"You need something to write, something to report to the fans, to the others and for me," Walter added.

"I’m happy to have a game this week on Saturday and have an upcoming week where we’re playing a lot of games and show where we have improved ourselves."

Ilicali, a media mogul in his homeland of Turkey, explained earlier this week that injuries to key players had been a mitigating factor to the side's poor form.

Walter, however, believes taking responsibility will be key if his side are going to turn around their current fortunes and will be buoyed by the news that midfielders Steven Alzate and Marvin Mehlem have returned to first-team training, while winger Abu Kamara should be in the squad to face Luton.

“I have to adapt every day, I can adapt every day and I try to improve myself," Walter added.

"It’s always about looking in the mirror and seeing your own face and that's important that you look on the left, and on the right, but at the end, you have to look straight."

Image source, Rex Features

Hull City head coach Tim Walter has confirmed long-term absentee Steven Alzate is back in first-team training ahead of Saturday's home match against Luton Town.

The Tigers have been without the former Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder for the last six Championship matches but his return to training on Thursday signals a timely boost as Liam Millar, Andy Smith, Mohamed Belloumi and goalkeeper Carl Rushworth remain out.

Walter has also welcomed back winger Abu Kamara, who's missed the previous two games due to an ankle injury, and midfielder Marvin Mehlem.

"Today was the first day for Steven Alzate and today was the first day for Marvin and Abu is back so he is good to go for Saturday," Walter told BBC Radio Humberside.

The German head coach remained slightly more tight-lipped whether or not Alzate would be fit enough to start on Saturday, however.

"I don’t know at the moment but he could be [ready] for Saturday’s match," he added.

"We have to take care and we have to build up the physicality and stability so they are ready to go for the next games."

The Tigers boss stated there had been a delay to Belloumi's surgery on a cruciate ligament injury that will keep him out until the end of the season.

"I don't know where we are we going to do it because of the language, maybe its better to do in an Arabic country or maybe it would be better to do it over here - it is just this decision," he said of the Algerian's proposed operation.

Walter stated the Tigers had picked up no further injuries during the international break while Bayer Leverkusen loanee Gustavo Puerta is expected to fly back to England on Friday from Colombia.

Walter also confirmed that Canadian winger Millar's knee surgery over the international break went "brilliantly".

Listen to the press conference on BBC Sounds

Image source, BBC Sport

Luton welcome fellow Championship strugglers Hull City to Kenilworth Road on Saturday for a vital clash between two sides tied on 15 points and only above the drop zone on goal difference.

The Hatters have lost five of their last nine games (W2 D2), including a 5-1 thrashing at Middlesbrough last time out, while the Tigers are winless in seven (D3 L4) following a 2-1 defeat at home to West Brom before the international break.

• Luton Town are unbeaten across their last five league games against Hull City (W4 D1), keeping four clean sheets during that stint.

• Hull City have lost just one of their last five away league games against Luton (W3 D1), with each of those victories seeing the Tigers score 2+ goals in the process.

• Luton have lost 20 league games in 2024, their most in a calendar year since they lost 21 games back in 2015.

• Hull are winless in their last seven league games (D3 L4), losing each of the last two games. The Tigers haven't lost three in a row since a run of five in August/September 2022.

• Luton's Alfie Doughty has created the most chances in the Championship this season (45) and has amassed 69 successful crosses – 39 more than anyone else.

Former Hull City player Peter Swan says the pressure is building on club owner Acun Ilicali after a poor start to the season.

The Tigers are 19th in the Championship and travel to fellow strugglers Luton Town on Saturday looking to end a run of seven games without a win (D3 L4).

Tim Walter was appointed head coach after Liam Rosenior was sacked at the end of last season having finished seventh, missing out on the play-offs by just three points.

"I think the pressure is on the owner," Swan told BBC Radio Humberside.

"I said that at the start because I thought the club was going in the right direction before, when Liam was in charge. He saw it differently did the owner.

"They wanted entertainment so he's brought in the manager to try and give that. We haven't seen that. I haven't seen improvement in the players."

Swan said Walter's plan A "is not working" and does not agree with Ilicali's suggestion that the Tigers have been "unlucky".

"All teams go through it. It seems to balance itself out," Swan added, of Hull City's injuries and suspensions.

"Unlucky? No, I just don't think we're good enough. I just don't think the players have got the quality to fight for the top 10."

Swan said "all the pressure was on the owner" at the start of the season and not the manager.

"The manager has come in, there's no pressure on him," Swan added.

"The owner's made the decision to make that change when 80% of the fans thought we're going in a direction quicker than we thought really.

"The club is resting on his decisions [Ilicali]. If he's going to stick with him [Walter], I think he needs to have a chat with him and say look, we need a plan B or even a plan C here.

"Because what we're doing, we're not getting better, the players aren't improving and I still don't believe they trust in how he wants them to play."

Listen to Peter Swan's analysis in full on BBC Sounds here.

Image source, Getty Images

Kasey Palmer endured a disappointing week with Jamaica as they were knocked out of the Concacaf Nations League in the quarter-final by holders USA.

Palmer played 58 minutes in a 1-0 loss in the first leg on Friday and was an unused substitute in a 4-2 defeat in the return leg on Tuesday.

Gustavo Puerta was called up to the squad for Colombia's World Cup qualifiers but did not feature in the 3-2 defeat in Uruguay or 1-0 loss at home to Ecuador.

Those results leave Colombia fourth in the South American qualifying standings with 19 points and six games remaining.

The top six teams will automatically qualify for the tournament in 2026, with the side in seventh reaching the inter-confederation play-offs.

Hull City travel to fellow Championship strugglers Luton Town on Saturday afternoon, looking for their first win in eight games to move them up from 19th.

Image source, BBC Sport/Rex Features

There are two Hull City players who have been called up for senior international duty this week:

• Kasey Palmer for Jamaica

• Gustavo Puerta for Colombia

Midfielder Oscar Zambrano missed out on a place in Ecuador's squad after being hit with a doping ban in November.

You can keep up to date with how they are getting on using our scores and fixtures list.

Image source, Rex Features

Under-pressure Hull City head coach Tim Walter says his out-of-sorts side must "fight and stick together" following their 2-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

The loss was their seventh successive game without a win in the Championship and left them in 19th place, above the bottom three on goal difference.

But the Tigers German boss believes they are making strides and need to keep their spirits up.

"We are not happy with the result but the improvement in the performance was obvious. That's what keeps me strong and keeps me happy," Walter told BBC Radio Humberside.

"If you have a negative run, like we are having, all you can do is fight against it and stick together.

"We need big character and that's what we showed. I know the results will come. We need a bit more luck."

Another thing Walter, who recently asked for an open conversation with the fans, was happy with was the vocal support within MKM Stadium against the Baggies - despite some calls from home fans to bring his time at club to an end.

"The reaction from our fans was brilliant. They tried to keep us up and to keep us in the game. That was really good and I'm really pleased," former Hamburg boss Walter said.

You can read the full match report here.