Jovial Jakirovic: The Man with the Alchemist’s Touch

On a baking spring bank holiday, Sergej Jakirovic basked in the glory of Hull’s fairytale promotion to the Premier League in an address to 40,000 ecstatic supporters from the balcony of Hull City Hall. The Bosnian head coach’s infectious enthusiasm and charisma were on full display as he proclaimed, ‘I only had one task before the season – to stay in the Championship … I failed. We’re going to the Premier League!’ The crowd erupted in delight, and it was clear that Jakirovic’s new-look side was ready to take on the best of the Premier League.

Source: i.guim.co.uk

The Unlikeliest of Ascents

Hull’s dramatic rise to the Premier League was nothing short of miraculous. They survived relegation to League One only on goal difference in 2024-25, but Jakirovic’s determination and leadership saw them overcome the odds. Oli McBurnie’s late goal had secured a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough in the Championship playoff final 48 hours earlier, clinching one of the unlikeliest ascents for years. The club’s fairytale promotion caught the imagination of football fans across the country, and Jakirovic’s alchemist’s touch proved to be the key to their success.

Defying the Odds Again

Three months on from those wild celebrations, Jakirovic’s new-look side must defy the odds again – and then some – to survive in the Premier League. Hull have been written off as relegation certainties by bookmakers and pundits, including the former England duo Carlton Cole and Joe Cole, who ridiculed them on their podcast this week. ‘Hull are gone, man,’ said the latter. ‘They have spent £70m and I’d be stunned if they stay up. They have come in through the back door, they’ve slipped in.’ Such barbs do not faze Hull’s head coach, who was in typically ebullient mood before Manchester United’s visit to the MKM Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.

Jakirovic’s Response to the Relegation Jibes

‘I’m buzzing,’ said the 49-year-old. ‘Of course, there’s a very big gap between the Championship and Premier League. We’re up against the best teams, players, and managers, and I’ve seen all the predictions. But it’s a great motivation to prove them wrong because we don’t have anything to lose. What we did last season was a very big achievement, but this is football, and what happened yesterday doesn’t matter anymore. We want to improve and show that we can develop to do even better as a team – and of course, we need another miracle to survive. It will be an even bigger achievement than winning promotion if we manage to stay up. We need 40 points, so everything is very clear.’

Acun Ilicali’s Faith in Jakirovic

The club’s high-profile chair, Acun Ilicali, who has said he will keep faith with Jakirovic even if Hull go down, has made 11 new signings – several of whom are currently injured – and broken the club’s transfer record twice in the process. The recruitment drive, described by some as scattergun, is also not over. ‘We’re expecting three or four more players,’ Jakirovic said. ‘We’ve signed some good players with potential, but I’m also aware that they need more time to adapt and build chemistry with the team.’

Jakirovic’s Childhood Experiences

Hull’s head coach, Sergej Jakirovic, has a unique perspective on life, shaped by his childhood experiences. Born in Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, then part of Yugoslavia, Jakirovic grew up in Metkovic in Croatia. His childhood experiences – running from fighter plane bombings and taking shelter during the 1990s Balkan wars – deeply shaped his resilience and perspective on life. Jakirovic’s playing career included spells in Slovakia, Slovenia, and Bulgaria before he moved into management and eventually landed in Hull – his eighth club in nine years – last summer.

Jakirovic’s Message to the Pundits

‘I always sleep like a baby because this is just sport at the end of the day,’ Jakirovic said with a smile. ‘I have to be fresh on Saturday; I also need to show my potential and prove that I can handle this stage. And I don’t have any doubt because I’ve shown already that I’m capable of doing some great things.’