Hull City – Season Preview 2019/20

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Hull haven’t found life easy in the Championship since dropping down to the second-tier two seasons ago.

They have finished in the bottom half of the table in the previous two campaigns and have struggled to find the right blend of players pick up consistent results.

With a new manager at the helm, could this be the season that Hull challenge for promotion once again?

Last season

Hull lost 10 of their opening 20 league matches last season and floated around the relegation zone in the first half of the campaign.

A run of six straight wins at the turn of the year propelled the Tigers into mid-table and they eventually finished in 13th place.

Jarrod Bowen was the club’s top scorer last season. The forward scored 22 goals and picked up three different Player of the Year awards.

Despite guiding Hull to safety, manager Nigel Adkins left the club following a year and a half in charge.

Next season

Grant McCann has been tasked with moving the club in the right direction following a disappointing spell under Adkins.

The former Northern Ireland international led Doncaster Rovers to the League One play-offs last season and is an exciting young manager.

Hull certainly have a strong enough squad to be competing for a top-half finish and McCann will be hoping that he can get the best out of his players; something that Adkins struggled to do.

McCann must sort out the club’s away form. They conceded an average of just under 2 goals per game on the road last season and cannot afford to perform so poorly again.

Keeping hold of star-striker Jarrod Bowen will also be a huge plus for the team heading into the new campaign.

The 22-year-old has attracted interest from a number of clubs following his stellar 2018/19 campaign but with time running out in the transfer window, Bowen looks set to stay with the Tigers and is more than capable of netting 20+ goals again this season.

Players in

• Tom Eaves – Free from Gillingham
• Ryan Tafazolli – Free from Peterborough United
• Matt Ingram – Undisclosed from Queens Park Rangers
• Sean McLoughlin – Undisclosed from Cork City
• Josh Bowler – Loan from Everton

Players out

• Evandro – Free to Santos
• Callum Barton – Free to Cambridge United
• David Marshall – Free to Wigan Athletic
• Max Sheaf – Loan to Cheltenham Town
• Liam Ridgewell – Released
• Will Keane – Released
• Frazier Campbell – Released
• James Weir – Released
• Ondrej Mazuch – Released

Predicted league finish

The predicted league finish for Hull City is 17th. It’s unlikely that the Tigers will improve on last season’s 13th place finish.