Sergej Jakirovic says Hull City will not surrender as promoted side sit in Premier League top half
Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic has declared "I am a fighter and I will never surrender" as his promoted side sit in the top half of the Premier League, having already beaten Manchester United 2-0 and drawn with Aston Villa, Chelsea and Everton.
- Manager: Sergej Jakirovic, 49, appointed after Hull finished 21st in the Championship the previous season
- Achievement: Led Hull to promotion via a Wembley win in May — the club's fourth promotion to the Premier League
- Latest result: A defeat away to Fulham in which Hull did not have a shot on target
- Next fixture: Hull vs Brentford, Sunday, kick-off 2pm (live on Sky Sports Golf from 12.30pm)
- Form: Wins over Manchester United and Coventry; draws against Aston Villa, Chelsea and Everton
- Injuries: Only Tottenham Hotspur have more players out than Hull
Jakirovic, speaking to Sky Sports in the aftermath of the Fulham loss, set out his refusal to allow one poor afternoon to define Hull's campaign. The 49-year-old described his pride in the achievement of promotion while insisting there will be "ups and downs" along the way.
What was said
"I am very proud of this achievement and the people are proud. It is not easy to get promotion and play in the Premier League. We see how difficult it is. There will be ups and downs, this is normal. But we showed already that we can compete."
"One defeat and now we will surrender here? We will give up? No. It is about trying to improve."
"In my nature, I am a fighter and I will never surrender. No matter who is the opponent, we will have our chances. We just have to fight, to stick together, to stick to the tactical plan."
"It is about the way we lost this game. We did not show anything. We did not even have a shot on target."
"It is about running, it is about duels, being aggressive, passing, receiving, body positions, better decisions."
"My team is giving everything on the pitch because when you look after the game at the GPS, it is very good in terms of running, high-intensity sprinting. They are giving everything but this is still football. We have to play much better with the ball."
What comes through in those answers is a manager who is unwilling to use emotion as a shield. He accepted the criticism of the Fulham performance outright, then redirected attention to the physical output his squad is already delivering. The two things can coexist: a team that runs itself into the ground but still cannot pass well enough to hurt opponents.
Jakirovic's underdog framing also fits the city. Lampposts around Hull carry the amber declaration "We are Premier League", and windows display flags reading "Dare to Dream". The manager's talk of fighting, unity and tactical discipline matches that mood without promising anything he cannot deliver.
Tactical analysis: the 5-4-1 counter-attack that has confounded the Premier League
Hull's approach is built on a single system that the manager says "brings us stability". Out of possession it is a 5-4-1 designed to make the team hard to break down, but the plan is anything but passive: the counter-attacks are quick, and no team in the Premier League is moving the ball up the pitch faster than Hull.
This is not a pure low block. Hull harry and press, and with the ball Jakirovic wants "much braver" play, good movement and courage. The possession numbers sit around 30 to 35 per cent, which the manager considers entirely normal. "It is not about possession, it is what you do with it," he said. It is about creating chances and making life difficult for the opposition.
That shape underpinned the seismic 2-0 win over Manchester United on the opening weekend and the victory at Coventry. The ambition is to evolve once the new signings are fit. Hull deliberately recruited players who are "very good, especially on the ball", and until those players are available the spine from last season is doing the heavy lifting.
Injury and availability
- Hidemasa Morita — signed from Sporting in mid-July; by October he had managed only 10 to 12 group sessions. A "very good player", per Jakirovic, but short of match fitness.
- Ilyas Ansah — the 6'4" striker arrived from the Bundesliga as a major signing and is yet to get on the pitch.
- Robinio Vaz — on loan from Roma, made four substitute appearances in the Premier League but is now out.
- Matt Targett — twisted ankle.
Only Tottenham Hotspur have more players out than Hull. Jakirovic's response is patience: "Every training session is an experience for them. It is an opportunity to grow. I am trying to build this team." The manager also had to address the squad after two players flipped their cars on the narrow road leading away from the training ground — a reminder of how wide the job stretches.
The numbers
- Hull's typical possession: around 30-35 per cent
- Morita's group sessions since mid-July: 10 to 12
- Vaz's Premier League appearances: four, all as a substitute
- Promotions to the Premier League: four, the previous one a decade ago
- League finish the year before promotion: 21st
- Jakirovic's age: 49
The manager behind the method
Jakirovic's reputation was forged by winning the title in Bosnia with Zrinjski Mostar and a double in Croatia with Dinamo Zagreb, where he was nicknamed the professor for his clip-heavy, detail-obsessed approach. "Almost every action, you find something. It is about small details," he said.
The most relevant experience, though, is his spell at Kayserispor in Turkey in 2025. He took over with the side in the bottom three in January and produced top-four form until the end of the season, lifting them out of the bottom six. He has shown he can win titles and keep teams up. "I do not know too many coaches who start like I do in the academy and then, step by step, come here," he said. "It is a big privilege."
A survivor of the Balkan Wars as a teenager, Jakirovic keeps football in perspective. "Football is my life. But, at the end of the day, it is just sport," he said. "What is pressure? Like I said, it is just sport." He already has tattoos of his title wins on his shoulders, though he says keeping Hull up would not earn a new one — those are reserved for trophies.
Talking points
- Is a 5-4-1 with 30-35 per cent possession sustainable across a full season, or will better teams eventually punish Hull's lack of control?
- Jakirovic says one defeat will not make him surrender — but with only Tottenham more depleted, are the injury problems the real threat to survival?
- Should Hull push Morita and the new signings into the side as soon as possible, or protect their fitness and stick with the spine that earned promotion?
- Has Jakirovic already done enough — beating Manchester United and drawing with Aston Villa, Chelsea and Everton — to make the fanbase believe survival is realistic?
What happens next
Hull host Brentford on Sunday, kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports Golf from 12.30pm. Jakirovic wants running, duels, aggression and better decisions on the ball after a Fulham display without a shot on target. With the manager stating plainly that "we know our target", the result is a direct measure of whether a top-half start can be turned into a survival season.
Frequently asked questions
When do Hull City play Brentford and what time is kick-off?
Hull play Brentford on Sunday, with kick-off at 2pm. The match is live on Sky Sports Golf from 12.30pm.
What formation does Sergej Jakirovic use at Hull City?
Jakirovic says Hull play one system that brings stability: a 5-4-1 formation out of possession, designed to be hard to break down and to counter-attack quickly.
Which Hull City players are out injured?
Ilyas Ansah is yet to play, Robinio Vaz made four substitute appearances but is now out, Matt Targett has a twisted ankle and Hidemasa Morita is short of match fitness.
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