"I don't get it... why not go for someone with a proven track record in the Championship?" Hull City's decision to appoint Sergej Jakirovic as their new head coach in June last year was not met with much, or indeed any, enthusiasm from a number of fans. The Tigers had just avoided relegation to League One on goal difference, one season after now Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior was sacked for only managing a seventh-placed finish. However, Jakirovic and Hull have confounded expectations to sit just five points off the top two in the Championship. As the former Bosnia international prepares to welcome Chelsea for a FA Cup fourth-round tie, how did the much-travelled 49-year-old end up leading an unexpected promotion charge in East Yorkshire?

Source: BBC February 13, 2026 12:18 UTC