Football League World
·26 April 2024
Hull City's 2024/25 solution may be at Doncaster Rovers: View
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Football League World
·26 April 2024
Hull City remain in the hunt for the Championship play-off places.
The Tigers have had a strong league campaign under the guidance of former player, Liam Rosenior, and they now have an intriguing opportunity to finish inside the play-off places. Just two games remain as they sit three points behind Norwich City, who currently occupy the final play-off spot.
It will be no easy task for the Tigers, but it is one that they will certainly be confident in, having gone five games unbeaten. While they are not entirely sure of the league that they will be playing in, they must be preparing for next season under Rosenior.
If they remain in the Championship, which is the most likely outcome, they may look to play an exciting, young goalkeeper, who is currently out on loan at Doncaster Rovers, by the name of Thimothee Lo-Tutala.
The 21-year-old joined Hull in the summer of 2022 from Tottenham Hotspur but acted as second or third-choice goalkeeper. He was then sent out on an emergency loan to Stevenage, where he impressed in his seven appearances and ultimately helped the club achieve promotion to League One.
He has since developed into a rather promising stopper, catching the eye in the fourth tier, and could easily earn some game time next season with Hull City.
Lo-Tutala spent the first half of this season back on the sidelines with Hull, making a handful of appearances on the bench, with Ryan Allsop as the most regular starting goalkeeper. Then, in the January transfer window, he earned a loan move back to League Two, this time playing for Doncaster Rovers who, at the time, were flirting with relegation.
Doncaster's rise up the league has been simply incredible under Grant McCann, and Lo-Tutala has played a big part in that. After 35 games played, the club sat in 20th after a rather gloomy campaign, but now just ten games later they somehow find themselves 5th in League Two, with the play-offs all but confirmed.
The Rovers have astonishingly won their last 10 games, and Lo-Tutala has played every single one of them, keeping a whopping six clean sheets in that run. The 21-year-old has evidently enjoyed his football over the second half of this season, and Hull will be incredibly grateful that this loan move has worked out so well for him.
Indeed, the young keeper's stats speak to just what an impressive spell he is enjoying. He averages 2.18 saves per 90, which admittedly is nothing special, but in terms of goals conceded and goals prevented per 90, he is in the top 15% of League Two shot-stoppers (FotMob) while he is in the top 10% for save percentage and top 16% for high claims per 90.
Lo-Tutala will surely have raised eyebrows at Hull based on the second half of this season, and he certainly should be considered as their starting goalkeeper next campaign, if they remain in the Championship.
Currently, Allsop is Hull's first-choice stopper, but he turns 32 in June and has been a frustrating figure for supporters this term. Indeed his goals prevented figure of -8.75 puts him in the worst 5% of Championship goalkeepers (FotMob).
Allsop still has one year remaining on his contract, so it is likely that he will remain with Hull next season, but he could act as a role model to 21-year-old Lo-Tutala, who deserves an opportunity to at least show Rosenior what he can do over the summer.
His time at Doncaster this season has been brilliant and will return to the MKM Stadium full of confidence as he looks to force his way into consideration.