Grant McCann was a frustrated figure at the end of the game at the MKM Stadium after Hull City lost 0-1 to Coventry City to continue the Tigers' poor run.

  • "Coventry are a benchmark for us"

“The club want us to perform well and the first goal was disappointing," said McCann. "After that I felt there was very little in the game. We didn’t take the opportunities and it’s not going our way at the minute".

"They’re a benchmark for us (Coventry City) – they’re a very good team. We just didn’t get enough things right today. Performance level wasn’t good enough – that wasn’t us today.

We’re 15 games in. Judge us at the end of the season. We’re very calm in the camp and we’re working hard to improve.

  • "For me, all I can do is focus on us"

"Look, people will look at the form," said McCann when questioned about the similarities to the previous relegation season. "We need to focus on the group as they’re completely different. For me, all I can do is focus on us.

We love the fans, but we have to keep it closed. We loved having them on Tuesday, but we have to focus on us.

Statistically we’ve matched them – a team that is currently in the top four.

Performance leads to results 9 times out of 10. You can go searching and get short term fix – but we have a vision of how we like to play and recruit. The concern is when we haven’t won the games when we have performed.

  • "It's important we rotate the right backs"

"There was nothing in the game second half. We’ve got to do better.

George (Honeyman) had a sickness bug, but he’ll be fine for Wednesday.

It’s important we rotate the right backs. We’ve got a three-game week. I thought as a team we didn’t perform.

Tyler Smith – just selection. We’ve got eight forwards at the club, and we can only select so many.

We’ve got to make sure we keep everything in house. You’ve got to be big enough and strong enough to take it (the criticism).

  • "I've never been more determined in my life"

We’ve got a young group and they are learning and trying to find their feet at this level".

"I’ve never been more determined in my life", said McCann after being questioned about the chants aimed at him. "It might not seem that at the minute. It does hurt, but I have to focus on my players and my staff. For me the only people I’ll listen to are my staff."

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In contrast, Mark Robins was pleased with the result but stayed calm and refused to get carried away.

“You’ve got to give them credit, " he said about the Tigers. "We said we had to go there and win. The goal was a good one as it took the edge off. 8 points from 8 away games gives us a starting point but we started to grow in confidence. It’s not where you’d want it to be but it’s start."

  • "The support was outstanding"

"The support was outstanding. They made it a really tough game and their goalkeeper kept them in it, there’s no doubt. On the balance of everything, I think it was a good result.

There were some decent opportunities. Keane Lewis-Potter is a top player in the making. Even though he didn’t have as much influence as they’d have liked but we dealt with everything they threw at us.

I didn’t hear it," Robins said when asked about the chants towards McCann and owners. "Any time you play against Grant’s teams they play good football, but I just think they’re lacking a bit of confidence. They’ve got some good players.

  • "It's about mindset"

It’s about mindset. I thought we were a bit laboured at times, but we’ve managed to win it which is pleasing. I thought we started brightly enough but we had to see the game through. I’m pleased because it gives them a starting point.

We’ve got two home games now so the focus shifts to that. We need to do the right things more often. We use this as a position to move forward from. It was a good three points for us in the end."

  • "It's a really tough league and nobody is getting carried away"

"Let’s get to 50 points," he laughed as his team's position was questioned. "Let’s take each game at a time. It’s a really tough league and nobody is getting carried away. It’s still early days and we’ve got to play lots of very good teams.

Playing last season without supporters was difficult. Some of the noise is deafening at certain grounds and those are the experiences that you want.

We have to be realistic – we are in a position where nobody would expect us to be and we have to take each game at a time. It’s a long old campaign."