Even di most devoted Hull City fan no fit imagine say their season go end like this. Oli McBurnie late, late winner against Middlesbrough mean say di Tigers, wey finish 21st for Championship last season, go play Premier League football next term.
Di East Yorkshire side don confound expectations, a transfer embargo, and di off-field drama wey surround Southampton and Spygate, to secure a remarkable promotion. How to mark am? Well, di players dey head to Las Vegas, wey dem don promise dem trip by club owner Acun Ilicali.
But head coach Sergej Jakirovic go sit out di Sin City jaunt as he take a more peaceful breather before di bright lights of di Premier League beckon. “Dis na trip for di players. I go dey with my family for Croatia. We get beautiful coast there,” Jakirovic talk. “Dem go to Vegas. You know wetin happen for Vegas stay for Vegas. Dis one no be for me.”
Heartbreak for Boro after dem miss three chances to go up. Jakirovic talk before Saturday game say im side don become “collateral damage” from Southampton expulsion from di play-offs, wey leave Hull to pivot from preparing for game against Saints to plotting for Middlesbrough four days before di final.
Despite di pre-match difficulties and being di underdogs, as dem be for di semi-final against third-placed Millwall, Hull get di job done on a boiling hot day at Wembley. Promotion cap off a tremendous first season for Hull boss, a former Bosnia international.
Jakirovic don win titles for Bosnia and Croatia before a brief spell for Turkey at di end of last season, but im be only known for UK as di Dinamo Zagreb boss when dem hammer dem 9-2 by Bayern Munich for Champions League for 2024-25. Dem sack am days later. If im come to England to prove point, then na mission accomplished.
“When Oli score di goal I dey think say I dey dream and dis na movie,” Jakirovic talk. “I dey very emotional. Plenty players dey cry from happiness. Na unbelievable journey. I think we no dey aware of everything we don achieve today. We get plenty problems. I dey very proud of everyone, especially di players; dem be di main actors.”
Hull get transfer embargo for summer, wey confine dem to free transfers and loans. Di sanction dem impose because of late payments to other clubs. Even with di limitations, Jakirovic get di team for promotion contention throughout di campaign and guide dem to play-off win over Millwall side wey finish three places and 10 points above dem.
Di 49-year-old na imposing figure, but im players don benefit from im relaxed approach. For di news conference after Saturday win, im joke say Southampton fit don watch im side train but dat no be problem as “sometimes we dey too bad”.
Hull avoid relegation back to di third tier on di final day of last season with 1-1 draw at Portsmouth. Head of recruitment Martin Hodge dem appoint weeks later and admit say watching from di stands dat day for Fratton Park, im don question whether di role dey right for am. “We put squad together just to try and get out of dis league. Di lads don be absolutely brilliant, and di manager don be breath of fresh air,” Hodge tell BBC Radio Humberside.
“Dis na my 52nd year [for football] and I don travel all over di world with Wales, I don dey with big clubs. But dis na di biggest achievement for me. I sit for Portsmouth last year, and I think ‘Wetin I don join?’ So, for di space of one year, I think say di biggest credit, di biggest achievement, na to those lads for di management, and our staff.”
Hodge, wey bring in experienced Championship campaigners like defender John Egan and match-winner McBurnie, go now get slightly bigger budget to work with for di coming season. Ilicali make headlines before di play-off final when im say im go consider legal action if reinstated Boro beat im side. Di fallout from Spygate probably get long way to go still, but no need for dat particular action.
“Dis na di best day of my life for sure. Because for my career, I manage plenty successes starting from zero for my business. But football na crazy thing,” Ilicali tell Sky Sports. “We wait plenty time [for stoppage time at di end]. Last five minutes, I no fit move because I no go fit handle last-minute goal.”
Focus go eventually turn to preparations for di top flight. But for now, whether for Vegas, Croatia, Turkey or East Yorkshire, everyone wey connect with Hull fit celebrate.
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