Next Hull City Manager Odds: Three options to replace Tim Walter

EFL pundit Gab Sutton looks at three possible candidates to replace Tim Walter at Hull City after the club decided to make a change in the dugout.

Slavisa Jokanovic

Jokanovic has been something of a Championship promotion specialist in previous years, leading Watford up in 2014/15, Fulham, to the Play-Offs at this level in 2016/17, and then up via the same route the following season.

In more recent years, however, the solemn Serb’s stock has slumped, with Slav struggling at Sheffield United in 2021/22: he was sacked early on that season, before Paul Heckingbottom turned things around.

On the one hand, Jokanovic may have learnt lessons from his ill-fated stint at Bramall Lane that makes him an even better proposition for Hull. 

However, there’s a danger that Illicali is so drawn towards his promotion record that his more recent work gets glossed over, because Jokanovic also flattered to deceive in Russia with Dynamo Moscow.

So, besides some good work with Al-Gharafa in Qatar, which is a relatively low standard of football, it’s been six years since we’ve talked about Jokanovic with regards to serious achievements – and that’s a long time in modern football.

With other, more up-and-coming coaches available, is this a risk Hull need to take?

Our verdict would be no – but he’s currently favourite with many bookmakers, which suggests he’s a contender. 

Mark Robins

The risk of appointing Mark Robins is different to that of Jokanovic.

In fact, for the last seven years, Robins has been working wonders at Coventry, taking charge at their lowest ebb before winning them the EFL Trophy, promotions from League Two and then League One, before Championship stabilization, subsequently converting them into a consistent Play-Off challenger with a high-potential squad. 

After establishing such an incredible connection with the Sky Blues, however, it may be difficult for Robins to jump into a new relationship straight away: he may need more time to process the disappointment, rest and reflect before embarking on his next challenge.

Plus, Robins enjoyed great operational autonomy at Coventry, and because he began at the lower levels, the club was built around him to some extent, which wouldn’t be the case at Hull.

The 54-year-old does his best work overseeing the big picture, when surrounded by quality coaches like Adi Viveash, who do the bulk of the work on the grass.

If Robins has less autonomy, and is asked to operate like a head coach rather than a manager, it may not feed into his skillset quite as naturally.

For all SISU’s flaws as Coventry owners, the one thing Joy Seppala did give Robins was space, and maybe that worked for him, whereas Illicali is a more vocal, hands-on owner, so the dynamics might look a little different.

Robins is an excellent manager, but Hull might not be the best fit for him – at least at this stage of the healing process. 

Alex Neil

It might be no coincidence that the two appointments from abroad that Illicali has made, Shota Arveladze and Tim Walter, haven’t worked out, whereas the one domestic appointment, Liam Rosenior, oversaw significant progress.

Perhaps especially for an in-season appointment, in which preparation time is hugely limited, and the threat of relegation has to at least be taken seriously, there could be value in going British again.

Fortunately, there is a reliable, proven Championship manager available without compensation, in Alex Neil.

The Scot likes to build well-balanced sides that can play some good football in the opposing half, but know when to be pragmatic too, are aggressive without the ball, and can, at their best, rip teams apart in quick, incisive transitions.

Neil didn’t achieve quite what he wanted to at Stoke, who haven’t been able to break into the top half at this level before or after his appointment either, but has delivered excellent results elsewhere.

The Scot worked miracles at Hamilton Academicals, taking them up to the Scottish Premiership via the Play-Offs then, incredibly, to third in the division midway through the 2014/15 campaign, when he left for Norwich, guiding the Canaries from midtable to Wembley glory through 15 wins in 23.

While limited resources hindered them in the Premier League, and denied them a bigger rebuild of an aging squad in the Championship return, Neil continued to deliver consistent second-tier Play-Off pushes on a bottom eight budget at PNE.

The 43-year-old also led Sunderland to promotion from League One in 2021/22, via a 16-game unbeaten run, before moving to Stoke on the basis of not getting the new contract he wanted at the Stadium of Light.

Hull are in a situation where they need a manager who can be relied on at this level, but who is still at a stage of their career where they have plenty of time to grow and improve, and Neil could fit the bill.