Hull City: Acun Ilicali could turn to Cardiff and hire fellow Turk as Rosenior successor - View | OneFootball

Hull City are searching for a new manager after Liam Rosenior was sacked by the club's owner, Acun Ilicali, after finishing seventh in the Championship.

On the face of it, finishing in that position looked like a decent season for Hull, particularly as they finished 15th the year prior, but Ilicali clearly hoped that the club would have made the play-offs this season - although by his own admission it is more of the style of play that was the final nail in the coffin for Rosenior.

Ilicali will be looking to make a swift managerial appointment so that his new manager has time to build a squad throughout the summer, and the Tigers vacancy certainly appears to be an appealing one.

One candidate Ilicali could turn to is his fellow Turkish man, Erol Bulut. Bulut is out of contract with Cardiff City this summer, and despite recently opening talks with the Bluebirds' hierarchy over a new deal, nothing has been signed yet, and he could be available in the coming months.

Hull City could break Cardiff hearts by appointing Erol Bulut

Erol Bulut led Cardiff City to a 12th-placed finish this season, which, on the face of it, isn't overly impressive, but with added context, it looks like a decent achievement.

The Bluebirds finished 21st last season, only avoiding relegation because of Reading's points deduction, and with a transfer embargo which meant that they couldn't pay fees for players, many people expected Cardiff to struggle.

However, they comfortably survived, and were in contention to finish in the top 10 prior to their defeat on the final day of the season.

Bulut has since been linked with big European clubs like Besiktas and Panathinaikos, showing that he must have done something right to attract interest from clubs of that calibre.

With that in mind, Ilicali could perhaps be keeping an eye on Bulut's situation at Cardiff City, as he could be a potential Liam Rosenior replacement.

Crucially, Bulut has a wealth of contacts in the European game, particularly in both Turkey and Greece, and would be able to sign players from the Turkish Süper Lig, just like he's done at Cardiff with Manolis Siopis and Dimitrios Goutas, both of whom have impressed.

The Bluebirds' boss also managed Ilicali's beloved Fenerbahçe during the 2020/21 season, and he spent four years at the club as a player.

Given Ilicali has made no secret about the fact he's a Fenerbahçe supporter, perhaps he would be tempted to appoint someone with a connection to the club.

Appointing Bulut would also likely increase Hull City's popularity in Türkiye, and you can understand why a move for the Bluebirds' boss could be a tempting one for Ilicali.

Erol Bulut can't be blamed if he left Cardiff City this summer

Given the fact he's out of contract at the Cardiff City Stadium this summer and there's still been no sign of a new deal, you wouldn't blame Erol Bulut in the slightest if he decided he'd had enough and left the club.

The Turkish manager will feel as if he's done a good job in helping Cardiff improve this season, and presumably won't be best pleased that it's taken this long into the season for the club's owner to open talks over a new deal.

Bulut is largely popular amongst the Bluebirds' supporters, and many can't fathom why he hasn't been given a new deal yet, even if it's just for some long-term security.

If a club like Hull, run by an ambitious owner in Acun Ilicali, approached Bulut over a move, Cardiff City could have no complaints if he decided to leave and move to Humberside.

The Tigers are a very ambitious club, and whilst Ilicali clearly has high expectations, the chance to work for a club who would back him in the transfer market would be very appealing to Bulut.

Ilicali has never appointed a Turkish manager since taking over the club in January 2022, but in Erol Bulut he may have a ready-made Championship manager waiting to take over.