Bristol City v Hull City: Liam Rosenior worried what unwanted test of coaching skill will do for his reputation

Rosenior's £2,500 fine and one-match ban – his second of the season – were the only things taking the shine off what had been a very good seven days for Hull City. It started with a real character win at Middlesbrough, continued with an eye-catching 3-0 victory over Cardiff City, snowballed with the highly-rated coach's new three-year contract and was topped off with the announcement that Championship all-time top-scorer and five-time promotion-winner Billy Sharp will join on January 1.

Even so, a sense of injustice was burning away at the 39-year-old.

He is annoyed at the damage done to his reputation and will be frustrated at how little he can influence things at Ashton Gate, but part of coaching a modern team is producing players able to solve problems themselves, so daft though it might sound, the better they do without him on Friday, the better it will reflect on Rosenior.

"I'm quite animated on the touchline because I care but I think the work you do Monday to Friday is the most important work," he argues.

"The players need to go out there knowing their roles and then they're free to go and express themselves. Hopefully it won't change too much.

"I know I missed the Doncaster (League Cup) game but that was a completely different type of game. I made nine changes and some of those players hadn't played games, some of them hadn't even played a pre-season game (that summer).

"This is a completely different game, a completely different experience and the fact I'm not on the touchline isn't going to make a difference.

"Obviously I want to be out there on the touchline with my team – but the players know their jobs, they know what's expected of them and its down to them to go and perform.

"I've got a magnificent coaching staff – Justin (Walker), Daws (Andy Dawson), Baz (Richardson), (analyst) Ben Warner's brilliant tactically and I'll be able to send messages down to the bench as well."

Rosenior was fined for comments in the tunnel after the 2-0 defeat at Queens Park Rangers with the Hull coach believed to have made his feelings about James Bell's performance known to the official, even if he refused to do so in public later.

The ruling revealed: "The manager admitted that he used abusive and/or insulting words".

Rosenior has already been banned once this season for his angry reaction to Norwich City's winning goal on the opening day of the season, and is on two bookings for the campaign, picked up in successive games against Coventry City and Leeds United. The threshold for a suspension is lower for managers than players, with three cautions bringing a one-match ban.

At a time when events in Turkey have shown greater respect for referees is as important as it has ever been, Rosenior is concerned about getting an unwanted reputation.

"There's a big element of frustration from my point of view for the ban," he admits.

"I don't want to speak too much on it but I know why it's happened, put it that way, and I'm not happy with it.

"I had a hearing and had conversations with Kevin Friend (who manages the "Select Group Two" referees, those just below the country's elite), who's been brilliant, very supportive, he understands my position.

"The FA understand my position. I know why I've been banned.

"I'd like to put this on record: out of a lot of managers up and down the country I'm one of the most respectful and my reputation is very, very important to me. The fact I've been banned puts a perspective on my name and how I behave that I don't think is fair in this case."

All that can be forgotten about – hopefully – with a result in the West Country.

A point against Liam Manning's side will cement Hull into the top six for Christmas. Not that it came as news to anyone, but owner Acun Ilicali reminded everyone this week, "We are dying to get to the play-offs."

With the mid-point of the season falling on Boxing Day – when Sunderland are in East Yorkshire – Rosenior will not allow any resting on laurels.

"It's a great position but it doesn't mean anything now,” he warned.

"I showed the players the league table last year at the same stage and not one of the teams who were in the play-off positions ended up in the play-offs. That tells you everything.

"There's no patting on the back, no looking back at how well we've done. It doesn't mean anything if we don't continue and that's been the message this wee.

"We have to work even harder, analyse even stronger, prepare better, do everything in our powers to at least stay in this position and kick on in the second half of the season."