Hull Irreparably Damaged

The Premier League season is just days away.  After Leicester City’s meteoric rise last year, the phrase anybody can win has taken new meaning.  Teams have spent more than ever.  Many a world star have found their way to England.  Morale is at an all time high among Premier League clubs.  Then there is poor Hull City.  A team without a manager, stable owners, or a full roster, the Tigers come into the 2016-17 campaign already suffering irreparable damage.  But people have counted out Hull before, and they were able to survive.  Can this edition lick their wounds and defy the odds once again?

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The club were out of the Premiership for just one season.  After being relegated on the final day of the 2014-15 season, Hull circumnavigated the Championship playoffs and earned a spot back in the big time.  However, the team has seen nothing but turmoil since defeating Sheffield Wednesday in the playoff final.

The goal scorer in that win, Mohamed Diame, left for Championship side Newcastle for £4.5m.  If former Spurs Jake Livermore and Tom Huddlestone play, it won’t be at 100%.  Half their starting defense, captain Michael Dawson and Moses Odubajo, and their starting goalkeeper, Allan McGregor, will start this year in street clothes.  Joining them will be the son of former manager Steve Bruce, Alex.  I say former manager because the elder Bruce resigned his post in late July due to lack of backing from what can be politely referred to as absentee ownership.

The Allams have been at the helm for Hull’s most triumphant seasons in the club’s history.  Nevertheless, their stinginess and constantly failing rebranding schemes have left the Tigers in terrible shape.  Players are still clamoring for an exit, some like Diame and Sone Aluko for lower level football.  Third string keeper Will Mannion is their lone summer signing from AFC Wimbledon.  There could be a slight chance that the starting XI they put forth against champions Leicester City on opening day all play the full 90 minutes.  Even then that lineup will be makeshift, with Curtis Davies and Andrew Robertson the only defenders with substantive EPL experience.

Caretaker manager Mike Phelan will handle at least the Leicester game, but it could be much longer.  The Hull City managerial search hasn’t exactly been a positive one.  Wales manager Chris Coleman flat out refused the gig.  Roberto Martinez spurned them to take over as manager of the Belgian National Team.  Gianfranco Zola interviewed most recently, but the former West Ham man hasn’t exactly been committal.  Names such as Bob Bradley and Steve McClaren have also been rumored to be on Hull’s radar.

So what is a team in the Premier League to do that can’t attract players or a manager to their ranks?  I guess laugh it off and hope for the best.  Centerback Curtis Davies took this “team photo” after a training session in Austria.  It displays the harsh reality of Hull’s current selection predicament.

Hull seem all but doomed to relegation, but if their past performances are any indication, they won’t go quietly into that good night.  Uruguay international and record signing Abel Hernandez was the third leading scorer in the Championship last term.  He finally has the confidence he lacked during his first Premier League spell coming from Palermo.  Alongside Livermore and Huddlestone, Robert Snodgrass and Shaun Maloney give Hull Premier League pedigree in the middle of the pitch.

If they can sure up the defense even slightly, the seemingly irreparably damaged Hull could give themselves a puncher’s chance of survival.  But alas, that doesn’t look likely this late in the window with this ownership.  Leicester City, Hull’s opponent kicking off the new year, was a tremendous story last season as 5000-to-1 title underdogs.  With their current construction, it may be an even bigger longshot for Hull City to stay up.

Can Hull stay up?  Let us know in the comments or on Twitter @sportsftb.  Enjoy the start of the season this weekend, even if you support Hull.