Hull City: Acun Ilicali’s message for Reading FC after Ruben Selles raid | OneFootball

Hull City owner Acun Ilicali praised Reading after an agreement was reached to appoint Ruben Selles.

Hull City owner Acun Ilicali praised Reading for their ‘professionalism’ after Ruben Selles made the switch to join the Championship side.

The Tigers have endured a miserable season so far, with Tim Walter, who was named as the new boss in the summer, failing to make his mark on the Championship.

Therefore, a decision was made to sack Walter at the end of November, and Hull had been on the lookout for his replacement since.

Acun Ilicali discusses Ruben Selles appointment at Hull City

After plenty of talk, it was announced on Friday that Selles was the man to take over, with the Spaniard having enhanced his reputation as a head coach following his excellent work under difficult circumstances with the Royals.

And, speaking to the Hull Daily Mail, Ilicali explained how he was delighted to land his preferred target, as he also opened up on dealing with Reading over the matter.

“We are delighted to have secured the services of our number one target. Rubén’s ambition aligns with ours. His passion and enthusiasm shone through in our meetings and we share similar ideas of how we want football to be played.

“There was considerable interest in the role, but Rubén stood out for his football philosophy, ability to develop players, attention to detail and extensive coaching experience. I would like to thank Reading for their cooperation and professionalism throughout the process.

“I believe we have the right man to lead our talented squad forward and give our passionate supporters a team they will enjoy watching. My dream for this club is entertaining football and positive results.”

Hull City will be excited for new era

It’s fair to say that Reading fans will be surprised to see the club being praised for its professionalism, as that certainly hasn’t been the case during Dai Yongge’s reign so far.

Losing Selles is obviously a massive blow for the Royals, but the bigger worry for the League One outfit is about what the future holds for the club, so hopefully they get the sale they desperately need.

As for Hull, this looks like a smart appointment, as Selles did a fantastic job with Reading when you consider everything he had to deal with. He handled himself with class throughout, and he built an attacking, stylish young team that the fans were proud of.

The challenge is to replicate that with Hull, and, in time, this could turn out to be a shrewd appointment by Ilicali, who really needs to get this right after how things played out with Walter.