, Is time up for Nigel Adkins at Hull City?

Is time up for Nigel Adkins at Hull City?

Hull City slumped to another defeat yesterday as they lost 1-0 to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

It has been a tough start to the season for the Tigers and they find themselves bottom of the Championship table, which has left many of their fans questioning Nigel Adkins’ future at the club.

Two wins from twelve games is the type of form that gets a manager sacked nowadays and if that form continues then Hull City will be playing in League One next season.

Nigel Adkins, who has previously managed Scunthorpe United, Southampton, Reading and Sheffield United, replaced Leonid Slutsky at the helm in December. He was hanging around the struggling Tigers last season and watching games during the Russian’s reign, seemingly waiting for him to be sacked so his appointment as manager was no surprise.

He did well last season and kept Hull in the Championship under difficult circumstances. The loan signing of Harry Wilson from Liverpool in January was a masterstroke and his goals and influence helped the Tigers stay up.

, Is time up for Nigel Adkins at Hull City?
Nigel Adkins has a lot to thank the now Derby County winger Harry Wilson for. Picture by Ian Lyall.

Hull lost a number of key players over the summer, including Wilson (back to Liverpool), Abel Hernandez, Seb Larsson and Michael Dawson and have not replaced them adequately. Signings did come but there was not enough of them. Therefore, it is no real shock to see Adkins’ side bottom as it is no doubt one of the toughest jobs in the league.

Adkins’ tactics this season have been poor though and his endless positivity after losing games has been draining. The patience amongst Hull fans is wearing thin and results are desperately needed.

The Hull board should give him to fifteen games and then make a decision. They face fellow strugglers Preston North End in two weeks and that is their biggest game of the season so far. Adkins deserves a few more games to turn it around, purely based on the fact he got it right in the last campaign.

The big question is who would take over if Adkins was dismissed? There are plenty of managers out there who would potentially be in the frame, such as Mick McCarthy, ex-Barnsley and Leeds boss Paul Heckingbottom or Simon Grayson. Sometimes changing a manager can spark an upturn in form and it could keep Hull up like it did last season. However, although Adkins’ future at Hull is becoming in doubt, the root of the problems at the KCOM Stadium lie with the owners.

Previous Article
, Sheffield United fans react to going top of the Championship

Sheffield United fans react to going top of the Championship

Next Article
, Premier League duo keen on Ipswich Town midfielder

Premier League duo keen on Ipswich Town midfielder

Related Posts