"Sorely lacking now" - Hull City transfer regret voiced over summer departure | OneFootball

We asked our resident Hull City pundit whether he feels they miss Ozan Tufan.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Acun Ilicali's gamble to sack Liam Rosenior and replace him with Tim Walter at Hull City is a decision that looks worse week by week.

Under Rosenior, they embodied an exciting and forward-thinking team moving in the right direction, but Ilicali's impatience for immediate success may have set Hull back to square one in their project.

At present, they sit in 22nd place, having picked up just three wins all season. This concern is furthered by the fact they have lost six of their past nine games and are consistently being seen off by mid-table Championship sides.

This puts Walter under mounting pressure, but the blame cannot rest solely on his shoulders, as City lost several key players from their 2023-24 campaign. The departures of Jacob Greaves and Jaden Philogene were major blows, but perhaps the most damaging was Ozan Tufan's move to Trabzonspor, which has left the Tigers' midfield bereft of creativity.

With this in mind, we spoke to our resident Hull pundit, Ryan Frankish, to get his take on how much they miss Tufan's flair.

Hull City miss Ozan Tufan

Having joined from Fenerbahçe in July 2022, Tufan enjoyed a strong two years in the black and amber of Hull City, quickly becoming a fan favourite. During that time, he netted 18 goals in 79 Championship games before departing for his native Turkey in a deal worth €2 million.

Asked whether they miss the 29-year-old, Frankish said: "We unbelievably miss Ozan Tufan. Although he wasn't always consistent, he was a key figure in the midfield.

"Throughout his career, he was criticised for being unfit and having a bad attitude, but neither of those issues seemed to apply at Hull City. He was level-headed on the pitch, very passionate, and always showed a strong desire for us to win.

"Regarding his fitness, he worked tirelessly and was such a presence in midfield, which we are sorely lacking now."

Speaking about Hull's regression, Frankish added: "The backwards momentum City have experienced this season from losing Ozan Tufan is staggering.

"He was the first signing of Acun’s era when everything was positive. Seeing Tufan’s name light up and the excitement we all felt back then feels so long ago now."

Expanding on Ilicali’s tenure, the Hull pundit noted that Tufan isn’t the only player they miss, pointing to the large turnover in last season’s squad. With much of that side dismantled, Frankish believes the stadium is emptying once again and that the club is in a worrying downward spiral.

Hull need to strengthen in January

While it was never going to prove a simple task to propel Hull up the Championship table, the regression in the past six months is truly staggering.

Last season, their utilisation of loan players around their permanent squad was brilliant, but with that ripped apart, they are staring down the barrel of a return to League One.

If Hull have the ambition of avoiding this fate, then they need their owner to keep his promise and build upon his interviews. Speaking to BBC Humberside Sport, he admitted that he was not concerned about relegation and that he is staying calm and preparing for a busy January.

This will need to see replacements delivered, and looking for a player to fill the void left by Tufan is a must. Goals from midfield are often pivotal and in 2024-25 we have seen just five arrive from their current crop.

This exemplifies the brilliance of the midfielder, who is sorely missed after departing the MKM Stadium in the summer.