Hull City & Acun Ilicali must avoid Arveladze, Walter mishaps after big Ruben Selles news | OneFootball

Another managerial change is in order at the MKM Stadium

Although initial speculation and previous history mean such expected developments aren't the almightiest of shocks, many Hull City supporters have been left angered by the news that Ruben Selles is set to be dismissed.

The Spaniard was handed a two-and-a-half-year contract by Acun Ilicali in December whilst being described as the Turkish owner's "number one target" at a time when a much-changed squad was down on its luck, propping up the Championship table.

Naturally, Selles' tenure hasn't been faultless, with it being reported that Ilicali and the hierarchy were less than impressed by a run of just two wins in nine which closed out the season, although the former Reading boss was able to preserve City's status in the second-tier ahead of Luton Town on goal difference.

However, there is an understandable school of thought among the majority that he has earned a chance to continue the rebuilding job, having overseen a spell of 27 league games that showcased mid-table form and a platform which the Tigers can build from when a handful of first-team regulars in the form of Liam Millar, Mohamed Belloumi, Eliot Matazo and potentially, Oscar Zambrano, return, as well as making some much-needed changes to the squad in the upcoming transfer window.

It also won't be music to the ears of City supporters that no replacement is currently lined up, which has led to a growing fear as to who could replace Selles in the dugout, especially after two previous mishaps on this front in the form of Shota Arveladze and Tim Walter.

Shota Arveladze and Tim Walter appointments proved disastrous for Hull City

After completing his £30m takeover in January 2022, Ilicali's first two games in the boardroom couldn't have gone any better, as Grant McCann's final matches in the dugout resulted in standout victories against Blackburn Rovers and AFC Bournemouth, before making the swift decision to appoint the Georgian on a two-and-a-half year deal.

Whilst there was a clear feel-good factor building in HU3 after the takeover and a handful of signings such as the initial loan swoop of Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, results on the pitch weren't exactly revolutionary, as whilst City staved off relegation in their first season after winning League One, Arveladze took just 22 points from his first 19 games.

A summer of mass change then followed in East Yorkshire as 16 new signings were made, many of whom failed to leave any sort of legacy, although City would start the season with three wins from the opening six games, sitting in third, before a run of heavy defeats to QPR, Sheffield United, Stoke City and Swansea City without reply led to concerns about the long haul under the former Rangers striker.

A calamitous and toothless display in South Wales proved to be the final straw. But, as City fans have come to expect, the timing of his dismissal was particularly absurd, with a decision being made just eight hours before a 2-0 defeat to Luton Town despite having an entire international break beforehand.

Ilicali's next managerial dismissal raised plenty of eyebrows as Liam Rosenior, who stabilised his former club in the second half of 2022/23 before mounting an eventually failed play-off bid, was sacked just three days after the final day of the 2023/24 season despite City finishing in seventh, their highest finish in eight years.

The decision involving the forme cult hero, given the stellar job he has done at RC Strasbourg, is a unique debate in its own right, but the subsequent appointment of Tim Walter was certainly intriguing at the time, especially when his play-style was described as "heart-attack football".

Despite yet another summer of high turnover and plenty of recruitment being done after the first game of the season against Bristol City, such descriptions weren't backed up on the pitch, despite a run of three straight wins and 10 goals scored in late September and early October against Stoke City, Cardiff City and QPR.

Walter's popularity with the fans would initially deteriorate after questioning the supporters' backing in a 1-1 draw with Portsmouth, before walking immediately down the tunnel in 1-0 away defeats against Oxford United and Luton Town, with City sat in 22nd at the time of his departure following a 2-0 defeat against Sheffield Wednesday, at a time when the Owls had also one more games in HU3 in the season than the Tigers.

Acun Ilicali has to nail next Hull City appointment after previous mishaps

Unsurprisingly, Ilicali's latest imminent decision has drawn plenty of comparisons to how Rosenior's spell drew to a close 12 months ago, and has once again proven somewhat divisive.

Hull's struggles in front of goal all season have been laid bare for all to see, with 44 strikes from 46 games the worst Championship record, as well as having the worst home form in the division, although picking up positive results in HU3 had been an issue for the previous calendar year prior to Selles' appointment.

City also had the fourth-best defence during Selles' 27 league games, and picked up nine points from a possible 18 against the sides in the top six, although they could only pick up positive results against three of the eight sides in and around them in the relegation battle.

The general consensus is that a manager or head coach with Championship know-how has to be the next appointment if the Tigers are to stabilise and have any chance of realising Ilicali's well-documented dreams. Failure to do so, and a tag of becoming the 'new Watford' as such, could stick for some time.