Dec 28

Fixture congestion is good, says Phil Brown as Hull prepare to face Bolton

• ‘I want more congestion’, says Hull manager
• Brown claims his players are ‘highly motivated’

Phil Brown has flouted the traditional manager’s cry of the festive season, claiming that fixture congestion could be beneficial to Hull City.

Brown’s side face a trip to the Reebok Stadium to play Bolton Wanderers a little over 48 hours after defeat to Manchester United at home. But the Hull manager said: “The programme has been highlighted by a number of managers and a number of clubs but I think the more congestion, the more success you are having. I want more congestion.”

However, he admitted that this time of year presents its own challenges. “My old mate Sam [Allardyce], when we were together at Bolton, always questioned the physiological side of two games in three days,” he said. “I agree with him – it is very difficult – but when the spirit in the camp is good and the players are just desperate to play.

“What we take from that is joy and a lot of pride in the performance and commitment the players showed [against Manchester United]. We need to take that into this game. We are going there with a group of players that are very highly motivated at the state of play and cause of Hull City.”

“The match is crucial for both clubs,” said Brown. “We have a very difficult January around the corner so it would be nice to finish December off out of the bottom three. I know we’re 10 points behind the halfway stage last year but we’ve just got to make sure the second half is a lot better than we did last year.”

Kevin Davies insists Bolton have reasons to be optimistic before the match. The Bolton captain believes they are ready to climb out of the Premier League’s relegation zone.

“We have got a lot going for us at the minute,” said Davies. “We need to make sure that we continue to work hard against Hull in what is going to be a difficult match. We have given some really good and strong performances in recent matches. We were unfortunate not to beat Manchester City.

“We got the win we deserved against West Ham. Even when they got it back to 1-1, we kept our heads up and finished off the game in style. Now, it’s up to all of us to maintain that level for our match against Hull.”

Fabrice Muamba is available after sitting out the Burnley match through suspension but Gavin McCann is likely to miss out for Bolton as he is still suffering from an ankle injury.

Hull CityPhil BrownBolton WanderersPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk

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Nov 09

Phil Brown earns breathing space to transform Hull City’s fortunes

• ‘Phil is definitely the man in charge,’ says new chairman
• Pearson: ‘I still genuinely believe in his skills and ability’

Phil Brown will be given time to prove he is still the right manager to keep Hull City in the Premier League but remains very much on trial at the KC Stadium. The 2-1 victory against Stoke City on Sunday has won Brown breathing space and encouraged Adam Pearson, Hull’s new chairman, to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Before that game there had been widespread speculation that Hull’s manager – who has presided over only four Premier League victories since early December last year – was poised for dismissal but Pearson is not minded to act hastily.

“Phil is definitely the man in charge; there are no plans to sack him and nobody is lined up [to replace Brown],” said Hull’s chairman today. “We want him to succeed and would all be delighted if he is able to continue for years to come.”

Even so, Brown knows he has much work to do before Pearson will be fully convinced of his ability to turn Hull’s hitherto disappointing season round. “I am trying to offer Phil Brown as much support as I can,” he said. “I still genuinely believe in the skills and ability he showed in managing the club to win promotion to the Premier League and during his first six months last season. I am working with him to help to get back to that level of focus.”

After making it clear he expects more humility and less ego from everyone at the club, Pearson was heartened by the display, and the result, against Stoke. “It was a very positive and committed performance from the players,” said Pearson, who stopped short of hailing Brown’s input. “My advice to everybody has been to get back to basics and hard work. The most important thing was to see desire from the players, and that was clearly there.”

When Hull’s manager failed to perform his customary post-match media duties on Sunday, doubts about his future in east Yorkshire resurfaced but Pearson insisted there was no sinister sub-text to such a no-show. “There was nothing in that and it was certainly not something I told him not to do,” he said. “I think Phil decided he had been in the media spotlight all week and wanted a break.”

Brown will aim to engender better spirit among Hull’s squad while fine-tuning tactics when he takes advantage of the international break by taking his players to a training camp in Italy this week. They return to a series of games which will determine their manager’s fate. On Saturday week West Ham visit the KC Stadium with Everton due on Humberside four days later. Brown must hope his team impress during those two home fixtures as they are followed by awkward-looking trips to Manchester City and Aston Villa.

He will also be praying Jimmy Bullard stays fit. Ten months after joining Hull from Fulham for £5m and almost immediately suffering a career-threatening knee injury the midfielder finally made his home debut on Sunday, impressing enormously before rallying to Brown’s cause. “Phil’s a top man, he’s a great bloke,” said Bullard. “He’s been blinding with us. I hope he stays here for a long time and so do the other boys. He’s calm, simple and methodical and believes in himself as all top managers do. Doing my cruciate ligament in my first game after Hull paid a lot of money for me was an absolutely nightmare start and I do feel I owe Phil Brown.”

Bullard’s sentiments towards Simon Maltby, Hull’s physiotherapist, are even stronger. “Coming back from the injury Simon was there for me every day,” said the 31-year-old. “At some points I was closer to him than my Missus. He’s been brilliant. There were a lot of dark times, especially halfway through the rehab when you are miles away from playing. But I was always confident I would come back.”

Phil BrownHull CityPremier LeagueLouise Taylorguardian.co.uk

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Oct 29

Phil Brown believed to have one more chance to save his job at Hull

• Brown says his players are ‘one million per cent’ behind him
• Probable returning former chairman thought to favour change

Phil Brown, the Hull City manager, is expected to be out of a job if his side lose at Burnley on Saturday as the noose around his neck tightens amid growing turmoil at the troubled Premier League club. Brown appears to be fighting a losing battle to remain as manager in the wake of chairman Paul Duffen’s departure today and the Guardian understands he has been told that results must improve straight away, or he could face the axe.

The manager, however, insists he has the full backing of his players: “I think they are one million per cent behind me and hopefully that will show in the performance on Saturday.”

Duffen, who was Brown’s most powerful ally at the KC Stadium, stood down following a meeting with the owner and major shareholder, Russell Bartlett, leaving Brown exposed. Duffen will be replaced by Hull’s former owner Adam Pearson next week. Pearson, who left Derby County yesterday, will return to the club he saved from administration in 2001 and is understood to be keen on a change of manager before the team’s plight worsens.

Brown will be in charge of Hull at Turf Moor, but this could be his last act. He met Bartlett yesterday evening to discuss the owner’s concerns and was left in no doubt that results must improve immediately. Despite just three league victories in 2009, Duffen has backed Brown to the hilt and refused to sack him. He is powerless to save Brown now, however, and has paid the price for Hull lurching towards financial meltdown. According to accountants Deloitte, relegation would see Hull needing to generate around £23m just to meet existing liabilities.

Brown was appointed manager during Pearson’s previous spell and could earn a brief stay of execution should Hull engineer a positive result this weekend, but it seems the writing is on the wall, with bookmakers suspending betting. Brown said: “A manager always relies on results and at this moment in time, we’ve got four points from the last three games. If we can put our best foot forward against Burnley and we can get something from the game, that will be a good return for October. It was a big month and so far it’s been fairly successful on the field of play.

“The support of Paul Duffen was there for everybody to see, but that’s gone now. What is around the corner you can only guess, and only time will tell who his replacement is.

“I don’t think it was on football results, I think it was on the business of football. It’s difficult to separate the two, but you do tend to run a business as well as a football club.

“The game is about change. Paul’s resignation, nobody saw it coming. But it’s happened and I have to respond to it. Whenever you pick up a newspaper, it might be speculation about my position, Paul Duffen’s position, or Hull City in general, but I keep looking at that league table and we’re still in the Premier League. I’ve responded to every challenge that’s been thrown at me and I’ll continue to do that.”

Duffen said: “I come from a background where if things don’t work out then the buck has to stop somewhere. While Phil Brown is ultimately the man on the pitch, I believe it is my responsibility to oversee the transfer market. Results have been disappointing and the most important thing is to create the best atmosphere to help the club succeed.

“I had long talks with my fellow directors and my partner and we decided that to give the club the best chance it is probably a good idea for me to step aside.”

On the prospect of Pearson succeeding him, Duffen added: “It would seem that is the most likely scenario, he is now available. It would not be rocket science to connect those two things. If you ask me a hypothetical question, I would have thought it would be a very logical and positive move.”

Hull CityPhil BrownPremier LeagueLouise Taylorguardian.co.uk

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