Hull City v Cardiff City: Tim Walter pleased to see Liam Millar and Regan Slater set sub standard

With the Tigers' star player in the Potteries, Kasey Palmer, doubtful for Saturday’s visit of Cardiff City with a muscle injury, Millar’s performance from the bench that night is likely to figure highly in Walter's thoughts.

The Canadian has looked dangerous in amber and black but Walter has been working to refine his game.

"He has to find the balance between driving forward and trying to go one-v-one and keeping possession to settle the game," said the winger’s coach. "He's never played before in a possession-playing team.

"The players are learning more and more. With his pace he can improve our game, for sure.

"It's the most important thing in football to find the right decision and the hardest. The lads have to find better situations and better decisions so that's how we train."

Hull have worked hard this summer to rebuild a squad, not just a team, and Sheffield United product Slater felt the brunt of it when he was left out against Stoke. He admitted afterwards he was angry to be left out, but responded as Walter would have hoped, following up Palmer's equaliser with a terrific goal from distance.

"Football's a contact sport and you can be injured, therefore we need confidence and conviction in all our players," argued Walter, who is unlikely to rush free agent signing Joao Pedro straight into his squad.

"I have 22 players and they have to accept it but they can always show me in training that they want to play.

"I want this mentality from every player and they can be unhappy to not play but they have to perform. He (Slater) showed it in an impressive way.

"I would be more unhappy if I don't have players who can play.

"We can always talk about the starting XI but for me it's a starting XX and it's good to have 20 players."

Asked what Pedro will bring to the squad when he gets up to speed after joining from Fenerbahce on Thursday, Walter said: "He's showed us he's very experienced, especially in how to keep the ball, how to finish and how to behave on the pitch

"He needs time, it doesn't matter if he's experienced or not.

"It's a good competitor for our strikers but it's important to be at the highest fitness level because he hasn't had (proper) training sessions for six months. He played and trained with the under-16s."

Last week was Hull's first win under Walter and the next box to tick is a home victory. Saturday, when the club are marking their 120th anniversary with some famous figures from their past and will be donning a one-off all-black kit, is as good a day as any for that.

"Not everyone gets to be 120 years-old, I never will, and it's good to celebrate that with our fans,” said Walter. "That's why we play football.

"Maybe it wasn't possible (to win) before because we didn't have the squad. With every shot and cross on goal we are feeling more confidence.

"Especially with our offensive signings, it's much better than it was."