I think we can all put most City managers in a fairly broad descriptive range, sure there may be some dissent (isn’t there always with this fan base?) but in general there would be quite a lot of consensus. I can only go on football since I’ve been going from 1982-ish… so something like this…

 

Disastrous

Parkinson

Appleton 2

Molby

Dolan

Hateley

Phelan

Ternant

Slutsky

Adkins

Barmby

Pearson

Appleton 1

Good

Joyce

Brown

Bruce

Silva

Ace

Taylor

Now you could argue (and let’s be honest you will argue) that someone should be up or down a category. Some would say Bruce is ace for example and another would say he was only steady, you might say Brown belongs in ace, but therefore everyone here is plus or minus one where I’ve placed them. Shades of grey as such and to be honest you have to look at circumstances, for example I think most of us liked Slutsky however he came at a really tricky time, but the overall experiment didn’t really work.

 

But then try and place Grant McCann. Genuinely try according to this system. I honestly think out fanbase would have him in all five sections and in some ways, he is. Because Grant McCann is hands down the most polarising manager we ever had to this point. And if I’m being totally honest with myself, I’ve had him in each section at some point in the last two and a half seasons, sometimes even during the same match. (feel free to send your hate tweets to @thelikesofhull)

 

He’s also the streakiest manager we’ve ever had (this may not be statistically correct so someone please prove this right) in that he was pretty good (first four months when appointed) then the worst statistical manager we ever had at the second level (January to the season end in July 2020) then he was really good again (winning the title in league one) then crap again (August to October 2021) then amazing for a month (November 2021) then a bit mixed and faked some LFT tests (it was probs Cliff Byrne) and popped up with two cracking results right at the end. Madness. Little wonder he divides the fan base.

 

Just like I said earlier, context and circumstances are important. Losing his best two players in January 2020 and then throwing snake eyes with the potential replacements was a disaster. (Maddison and James Scott take a bow) and this was further exacerbated by the captain and vice-captain then not coming back after the first lockdown. The end of 2020 was as tepid and listless as I’ve ever seen a Hull City team and some would never forgive him. I honestly didn’t think I would either but then the title winning season came.

 

Grant definitely had weaknesses, he could be tactically stubborn and inflexible, he had Nigel Pearson levels of stroppiness with the local media and he definitely liked a former player, however the one group he never appeared to have lost were his players. The lads that played for him seem to have genuine affection for the team of Grant and Cliff and he seems to run a happy camp with training also being a plus point. All you have to do is listen to something like “Undr the Cosh” to hear former City players talk about some ex-gaffers in a less than flattering light (Brown, Bruce, Ternant, Pearson) but I can’t see that being the case with the Northern Irishman. I think it’s fair to say his understated and calm demeanor was popular with the playing staff.

 

I think we all get that under new ownership GM was off at some point. A few of us, myself included thought the summer might be better timing, and that with his squad of players topped up, we would look pretty comfortable in the league this season. However, if you pay your money, you run the show and I don’t think you can be too critical of Ilicali wanting his own man in charge.

 

On a thread talking about GM’s impending departure a Peterborough fan implored him to “come home” and I must admit it did cheer me up a bit, because of the job he’s done rebuilding us and developing some of our young talent like Greaves or Potter I think Grant will get a very good league one job or even higher sooner rather than later. He really has proved himself worthy of at least that.

 

But as we all hope that Shota Arveladze’s English lessons have kicked on I think most of you would join me in thanking our disastrous, steady, good and ace manager who we all loved/hated/and felt satisfied with... or not. Often at the same time. Good luck Grant, you shit genius, I’ll miss you, a bit, you whopper.

 

Thanks for reading. UTT.