Disappointed though I am at the manner of his departure, I have to place my thanks to Nigel Pearson, Steve Walsh and Craig Shakespeare on record. They walked into a club on it's knees 18 months ago for lord knows what reason. Whatever Adam Pearson said to get them to jump ship makes him a bloody marvel. They were unable to spend any money, could only bring in loans and freebies and quickly discovered that a third of the (decimated) squad weren't good enough for the Championship and another third didn't have the bottle or desire to play for Hull City. The situation was worse than he or we knew. It was exacerbated by people like Gardner and Zayatte who had ability but didn't perform. We were in serious trouble by October. Nigel's response was to put faith in players like Ashbee who'd previously frustrated him and Harper, who'd been injured, and he moulded a team, rather than a group of individuals, recognising the value of Harper and Garcia and the like, not spectacular but honest and intelligent. The arrivals of Cameron Stewart and Liam Rosenior were the first indication that this team know a player when they see one. From October, we barely looked back. They built from the back, we were solid, we played as a team and we tried to play football in the right areas. Finishing in the top half of the table was a remarkable achievement, flirting with the play-off's was even greater. Winning at Sheff United, Derby and Forest were excellent days, days I won't ever forget. The team this season has moved up a gear again. We're an excellent team. We played super football, the way it should be played. We didn't always break down stubborn defenses but we stuck to our principles and kept trying to do so. It's a pity that he's left just as we've shown the quality he's been trying to draw out of the players. Like Peter Taylor, Nigel's legacy will carry on for a good while yet because he invested in players with their best days ahead of them. Stewart, Dudgeon, Harper, Chester, Rosenior and Evans will all probably move on to Premier League clubs in the future for a bloody good profit. They, along with Koren, McLean, Fryatt, McKenna and Hobbs will play a massive part for our Nicky. Thanks for everything, Nigel. My only criticism is that you didn't love Hull City enough to stay. And in truth, if you love someone else more than us, I'd rather you buggered off anyway! Good luck at Leicester, I think you might need it. Hull City is a much better football club for your input and that's all that matters to me.
Agreed. I think we can knock Nigel for the manner in which he departed, but not the job he did while he was here. We should be grateful to him for restoring some pride back into the club and reshaping what was an average, over paid team into a bright, young and talented team. He left the club in a much better state than when he arrived, that shows the kind of job he did here. He may not have been everyone's cup of tea but he's giving Barmby or whoever else takes over an excellent squad of players to work with, something he couldn't enjoy when he arrived here. Knock him for his departure, but certainly not for the job he did here.
Harper has his best days ahead of him in the premier league? Make a profit on him even though he was free? I think you are a deluded fool But I agree with the sentiment of your article and will wish him well as long as he doesn't come back to try lure our players away and pick our team apart.
Totally agree with you - I was about to start a thread saying the same thing. Maybe my lack of anger/antipathy towards him is 13 years living down south where loyalty isn't as expected as in Hull?! I am very pleased with what he did for the club and have a lot of gratitude for it, especially the way the squad has been built and the young reasonably talented players that we now have. I would rather him be replaced with a manager with reasonable experience - Nicky Barmby is a risk in my opinion - if he doesn't do reasonably well, then I fear that a Hull City hero may become tainted. However, I am totally behind Nicky Barmby and dearly wish him well. I am reducing my expectations from a top 3 finish to a top 12 finish which I think is fair on a new manager. I don't really want to go back in the Premiership anyway, I much prefer the Championship. Oh, and Nicky Barmby's sister babysat me when I was young so he has to be good for the job. I just thought - imagine if Nicky is England manager one day? I will finally have a claim to fame, other than meeting Paul Hudson (local weather forecaster).
Good post Theo! I agree with the sentiments, shame NP has left, but money talks. On that note, it is a shame City don't have the fire power to match Leicester's offer. Though we've been through that cycle of boom and bust, so in AP I trust and now NB. UTT!
excellent article, and very much agreed on most (you're faith in Harper and Garcia is touching!) points.. the three put pride back in the place when it was on it's arse.. in particular Sheff United and Forest away days will live long in the memory
Totally agree, Theo. I am also sure most City fans are of this opinion and yet I understand one of the reasons NP considered leaving is because he did not feel the City fans appreciated the job he was doing. Personally, I think he would have proved to have been the greatest manager City have had, however, we will never know now. Why is it over the last few years the only voices heard in the local media are the numpties? Nicky Barmby has barely had time to sit behind his new desk and I have already heard voices of discontent. The best one being the Allams doing it on the cheap!! What planet are these people on - or is it simply a lack of intellegence? Surely if we cannot get behind an 'Ull lad as one then it will be time to give up!
Nigel can get ****ed as far as I'm concerned the blokes an arrogant ignorant disloyal piece of dog ****.
We have to thank NP for the work and job he has done. He has turned the club around on the pitch and Left Nicky Barmby with one of the most talented squads in the NPC. Now NP has gone, its down to NB to push these lads onto the PL.
Do you not think that instantly instructing NB to get us into the PL before he's even took charge of a game might be a tad ambitious, and unfair on him? I can hear his 'gulp' from here. He needs time and patience, not instant demands.
Not at all. There is no pressure from me BUT the squad is in place to achieve this. NB will have his own ambitions and if it happens it happens. Put it this way. These lads can do it. Under Nicks guidence why not this season eh ?
I hope this isn't the end of our season. If the events of the past weeks hadn't occured and Pearson had stayed put we might have challenged, but under a caretaker manager with little or no experience, i just can't see it. So it's a cheers from me. Pearson, as a manager, brought in some cracking players, you stabilised the club on the field, you gave us some cracking moments away from home- 2 away defeats away since February (could be wrong) isn't something to be frowned upon. Would have liked a few more wins at home but you can't have everything. Some of us with minds of our own didn't give a toss if you had a go at Burnsy or Blunderside. You were doing a great job here. Pitty you couldn't finish it.
