Hull owner hits out at pundits over 'laughable' criticism

What the report says

Hull City owner Acun Ilicali has responded angrily to criticism from pundits Joe Cole and Carlton Cole after they mocked the club’s prospects of surviving in the Premier League. The comments were made on The Dressing Room podcast, where Joe Cole said he had declined the chance to be a pundit for Hull’s opening match and suggested he would be surprised if the newly promoted side stayed up. He also joked about Hull arriving in the top flight “through the back door.”

In a social media post, Ilicali said it was disappointing to see the city criticised and described the remarks as disrespectful toward a club that had earned promotion. He said Hull were used to being underestimated and had embraced that role. Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic also backed his team to use the comments as motivation, saying the players would try to prove doubters wrong.

The dispute comes as Hull prepare for their first Premier League season since 2017. The club secured promotion with a late win over Middlesbrough in the Championship play-off final at Wembley in May. BBC Sport also noted that Hull have spent about £70m on new signings this summer and begin their campaign against Manchester United on Saturday. Carlton Cole later defended the podcast remarks as banter and said he liked Hull City.