Hull City’s new owner Acun Illicali has made his first big appointment ahead of the weekend clash at home to Swansea City, naming Shota Arveladze as his new Head Coach.
Grant McCann left the club earlier in the week, with Illicali thanking the Northern Irishman for his professionalism throughout the takeover process but it was clear from the start that the Turkish owner wanted his own man at the helm.
The club announced a formal press conference for Friday afternoon at the MKM Stadium where Arveladze will officially be unveiled; however, this will also be the first time that Illicali has addressed the media properly as owner of the club in an official capacity.
He interviewed on Sky Sports before their recent win against Blackburn Rovers, but there will be a huge media presence in East Yorkshire the day before the Swansea City home game.
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What have the club said?
“The 48-year-old has managed over 300 games across spells with five clubs in three different countries, boasting a win percentage of over 50%,” the club said in a statement.
”His last managerial post came in Uzbekistan with FC Pakhtakor Tashkent from 2017 to 2020, where he was appointed by the same ownership group as Everton.
During his three-year spell, Arveladze won five trophies, including two Uzbekistan Super League titles and reached the Asian Champions League semi-finals.
He has also managed in Turkey with Kayserispor, Kasımpaşa and Trabzonspor, Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv and coached in Holland alongside Louis van Gaal, Ronald Koeman and Dick Advocaat.
Georgia’s all-time leading scorer with 26 goals in 61 caps, the prolific former striker plundered over 300 goals and won 18 major honours during a distinguished 18-year playing career.
He lifted league titles in Scotland with Rangers, Holland with Ajax and his homeland with Dinamo Tbilisi, being named Georgian Footballer of the Year on three occasions.”
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”I like attractive football when the supporters are on your side”
The club also included a short interview with Arveladze in the statement, and it is clear he wishes to make a great first impression to the supporters of a team that currently lie 19th in the Championship.
“I want to say thank you to everyone who has given me this opportunity,” he said. “I believe everyone who is in this sector in football wants to be in England and I am just really happy and my family is proud.
“I am so motivated and have the hunger to show this club can do well with the boys, with the quality, with the young talents that we have.
“We have parts (of the team) where we are very creative, talented, parts with experience. It’s a good mix.
“I like attractive football when supporters are on your side – they want to come, they love to come to watch the game.
“It’s great to have this game (Swansea City) as soon as possible. I’m really looking forward to being here to meet the supporters.
“We’re going to try our best to show really good football, attacking football. The main target is always going to be to win.
“The fans have to come and cheer for the club they love and the boys. We have great players to come and have the pleasure to watch them.
“Let’s do this together, let’s cheer together and let’s win together.”
Illicali will be hoping that the Tigers fans will now start to return to the MKM Stadium as many chose to stay away under the Allam regime.
His takeover of the club has been hailed positively by the fans on social media and his jet-setting lifestyle - as well as the pride shown by wearing club merchandise at big events such as Miami Heat games - has made him a huge hit so far.