Liam Rosenior sacked after putting Hull City 'back on the map' with Acun Ilicali revealing why the controversial decision was taken by Championship club

Time was dramatically called on Rosenior’s 551-day reign on Tuesday afternoon and despite the 39-year-old earning widespread respect across football for transforming City – who were relegation candidates when he joined in the autumn of 2022 – into play-off contenders, it was not enough to save his job as City’s hierarchy wielded the axe.Rosenior met with chairman and club owner Acun Ilicali and vice-chairman Tan Kesler in the aftermath of the Tigers’ final-day loss at Plymouth Argyle and ultimately paid the price for the club’s failure to finish in the top six after some headline recruitment in January. They finished seventh.

After the game, Rosenior spoke about putting the club ‘back on the map’ and being a ‘respected Championship force, with ‘building blocks’ being in place to enable the club to be successful in the longer term.

But despite impressive progress under him, Ilicali has elected to make a change, while stressing that their collective visions for the future did not align.

Ilicali commented: “This has been the most difficult decision I have had to make as chairman of this wonderful football club. No matter how trying the circumstance, I have to remove personal sentiment from these moments and ensure the long-term vision of the club is at the centre of my thinking.

"Since Liam’s arrival, we have enjoyed an open working relationship and progress has undoubtedly been made over the course of his tenure. He will always be a part of this family and I thank him for all his work.

"However, it has become evident that our visions for the future are not aligned and I feel that now is the time to make a change."

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City spent big to bring in loanees Fabio Carvalho, Ryan Giles and Anass Zaroury in the new year, while winger Adbus Omur was another marquee addition.

In sixth place at the end of 2023, Hull won three times in their final 13 matches of the campaign and despite losing just three of those games, a run of seven draws severely hindered their top-six bid.

It did not stop Rosenior from being recognised in April after being nominated for the EFL Championship manager of the year award alongside eventual winner Kieran McKenna and Leeds United chief Daniel Farke.

Rosenior also earned plenty of plaudits for his stylish style of possession-based football. But he now finds himself out of work after being the fourth manager to be axed at a Yorkshire club since the end of January.

Rosenior’s 18-month stint at Hull saw him win 27 times in 78 games, drawing 28 and losing 23 matches.

Speaking last weekend, Rosenior said: "This club is back on the map. I know it's disappointing and we didn't quite make the top six. But this club is now a respected force in the Championship.

"And that's not me trying to big myself up, or the staff or Acun and Tan, it's the truth from where we were 18 months ago.

"The building blocks are in place for us to be successful in the longer term and that's something that can't be forgotten in this process."

Focus will now switch to Rosenior’s successor, with Ilicali having vowed that his replacement will given further backing in the transfer market to give City the best possible chance of ending their exile from the Premier League.

Ilicali added: “I know what this football club can achieve, and we will not stop in the pursuit of that.

"We have worked hard over the last two years to develop our squad. We now have many highly talented players at our disposal and we will continue to invest and improve our playing personnel to give this club and its fans the success they deserve.”