Hull City owner Acun Ilicali has hit out at pundits Joe Cole and Carlton Cole over their criticism of the team's chances of Premier League survival.
What happened?
The criticism came after Hull City achieved promotion to the Premier League with a last-minute win over Middlesbrough in the play-off final at Wembley in May. Joe Cole, a former England and Chelsea midfielder, said he would be stunned if Hull City stayed up, joking that they had slipped into the Premier League through the back door.
Why it matters for Hull City
Ilicali responded to the criticism on social media, saying it was disappointing to see his team criticised by people who should know better. He added that the team was used to being underestimated and enjoyed it, especially after their promotion last season.
What comes next?
Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic also addressed the issue, saying it was a great motivation to prove the pundits wrong. The team has spent £70m on new signings this summer and will play Manchester United on Saturday in their opening Premier League fixture. With a recent form of 4W-1D-0L, including a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough on 2026-05-23, Hull City is looking to make a strong start to the season. Currently, the team is 22 points behind leaders Coventry, but with 70 goals scored and 66 conceded, they have a positive goal difference of +4. However, they will have to do without several key players, including Charlie Hughes, Darko Gyabi, Hidemasa Morita, Jack Butland, Paddy McNair, and Óscar Zambrano, who are currently sidelined. As the team prepares for their Premier League opener, they will be looking to prove the pundits wrong and make a strong start to the season.
