Hull City are reportedly set to part ways with head coach Ruben Selles on Thursday—just days after the Spaniard guided the club to Championship safety on the final day of the season.
According to Daily Mail, Tigers owner Acun Ilicali has made the decision to dismiss Selles, despite the manager achieving the club’s primary objective: avoiding relegation, Idman.biz reports.
Selles took charge in December after the sacking of Tim Walter, who had lasted just 17 league games in a disappointing tenure that saw Hull dangerously flirting with the drop. While Selles didn't spark a dramatic turnaround in form, his steady leadership helped the team secure survival on goal difference following a tense 1-1 draw on the final day, while Luton Town’s defeat to West Bromwich Albion sealed their fate in League One.
Speaking after that result, Selles acknowledged the pressure and challenges of the season:
“From the first moment we arrived, our target has always been to keep the team in the division, to build a good platform for next season. We didn’t want to do it on the last day. We hoped we could do it before. I’m proud of everyone... Today was one of those days where you need to show you can cope with the pressure. The boys did it amazingly.”
Despite this show of resilience and the emotional celebrations with fans at the MKM Stadium, Selles’ future now appears sealed. Sources close to the club suggest Ilicali believes a new direction is necessary to reignite the Tigers’ long-term ambitions.
It’s the latest twist in a turbulent year for Hull. Just 12 months ago, the club controversially sacked Liam Rosenior after finishing seventh in the 2023–24 campaign, narrowly missing out on the play-offs. Ironically, Rosenior has since enjoyed great success in France, leading Strasbourg to the brink of a UEFA Champions League spot in Ligue 1.
Selles arrived from fellow Championship strugglers Reading, following a brief stint as permanent manager at Southampton. Known for his tactical pragmatism, the 40-year-old helped stabilize Hull during a chaotic stretch, but it appears that stability alone wasn’t enough for the club’s ambitious ownership.
As of now, no replacement has been officially confirmed, but speculation is already mounting over who will take the reins heading into the 2025–26 season.
The decision will no doubt divide opinion among supporters—some of whom credit Selles with keeping the club afloat in a season full of uncertainty. But for Hull City, a new chapter may be about to begin—once again, with a new face at the helm.
Idman.biz
