Hull City owners Assem and Ehab Allam have praised manager Steve Bruce for “exceeding all their expectations” and delivering the best season in the club’s history. Currently boasting 35 points and standing on the verge of another season in the top flight, the Tigers have already recorded a club-record Premier League points tally. With three games to go, Bruce’s side are five points clear of the drop zone. Although their vastly-superior goal difference means safety has already been all-but secured, they do need one point to mathematically guarantee safety. That means the club can now look forward to their FA Cup final against Arsenal on May 17, and they could head to Wembley with an historic place in Europe already secured if results go their way at the weekend. “Steve has done a great job,” acting chief executive Ehab Allam told the Mail. “He has proved to be a very good manager this season. We brought him here because of that, and he has lived up to his reputation. “He has exceeded all our expectations this season. “To be promoted in his first year in charge exceeded our expectations. To be in an FA Cup final and look like we are on course for survival has also exceeded all our expectations. “But then we have also exceeded our expectations by spending what we have.” Handed a sizeable transfer kitty by the owners, Bruce has certainly bought well in his time at the Tigers, bringing in Yannick Sagbo (£1.5m), Allan McGregor (£1.5m), Curtis Davies (£2.5m), Tom Huddlestone (£5.5m), Shane Long (£6.5m) and Nikica Jelavic (£7.5m) for big-money fees. The timely arrival of Jelavic and Long in the January transfer window helped to increase City’s threat in front of goal in the Premier League. But with the duo ineligible to play in the cup, Bruce has had to utilise his entire squad to chase City’s first piece of major silverware. And his man-management skills have not gone unnoticed by his delighted employers, who are currently planning for a second trip to Wembley. “Steve has built a team the whole community can be proud of,” said owner Assem Allam. “Football is like business, you stand or fall by your decisions. If he had failed, we would have failed.” Ehab Allam added: “Under Steve’s leadership he has got the team working the way he wants it. “Things are working well in general and all the cogs are working together. “It has very much been a good team effort. “We have been able to get injured players back to fitness fairly quickly so they are able to play again, which has helped to field the best squad possible. “In general, what we have done both on and off the field has been fantastic.” http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull...-Bruce-8216/story-21033665-detail/story.html? Erm.....we're on 37 points.
Typical lazy journalism from the HDM. It does not take 5 minutes to look on the BBC web site to make sure that the information is correct. If they cannot get such a simple thing like that right how can you trust any of the drivel that they print?
At least give them their dues, they have not preached some ulterior motive behind their message. Hopefully there will be more interviews like this from them. (I must admit to wondering all the way through, what garbage they were going to sneak in, but they didn't. Well done for that and keeping the coming out with something good)
Has Allam prattled and rambled about the name change bollocks since the semi final win? It's all gone quiet, thank fook he finally appears to have dropped it! Since the trip to wembley, this is what a good owner is all about. I completely forgot they existed to be honest. On the article FGB Bruce has fallen slightly under my expectations because Crystal bloody Palace and their crock of **** are above us in the league
âSteve has built a team the whole community can be proud of,â said owner Assem Allam. But he can't differentiate between the 'community' and the 'city'. âIn general, what we have done both on and off the field has been fantastic.â (Ehab) PR? Marketing? Name-change plans? Attitude to fans and the game of football? They could all have been handled much, much better.
Could he not be talking about the wider community - like Beverley, Barton, Hedon supporters etc. rather than just the City of Hull because that's where supporters are as well?
I don't think there's really an issue with the first quote, though the second one is obviously laughable.
Great season indeed. Well done everyone at the club. Here's to the good times to come as I THINK they will. ( just forget the name change Assem )
In summary Ehab is saying "we've exceeded all expectations including our spending" The article praises SB but leaves the reader in no doubt that the club's success is due to the money the Allams have spent.
I'm fairly sure we're mathematically safe if we get one more point, or if the teams below us all lose.
We currently sit on 37 pts Fulham can still reach 37 pts Norwich can get 38 pts Sunderland can get 41 pts As things stand the only team that can't catch us mathematically is Cardiff - their maximum return is now 36 pts I think some folk are getting confused between mathematically (which ignores goal difference) and probability.
If Fulham reached our points tally they would have to also win a couple of games around 16 nil to beat our goal difference.