Hull City v Leicester City: Coach Liam Rosenior urges fans to respect the process and give up the 'crazy' boos

The Tigers are getting to the twitchy part of the season sat in the Championship final play-off place.

They would have been a touch more comfortable had they seen out a midweek victory over Birmingham City, given they host leaders Leicester City on Saturday before sitting out the final round of games before the international break.

Some fans were unimpressed by the 1-1 draw, booing their side off.

It is, though, the first time in the eight years since Hull last won promotion to the Premier League that they have been in this situation in the second tier and that, says Rosenior, makes the response "crazy".

"I was disappointed watching the game back just hearing the boos," said the coach. "There has to be an element of realism. This time last year we were fighting relegation.

"You've got Acun (Ilicali, the chairman/owner) working so hard to put this club back on the map where we think we deserve to be. Myself and the players are working really hard so to hear that, for me it's crazy.

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"We are in the top six and if anyone had said at the start of the season everybody involved in this football club would have been delighted so let's take stock, let's relax, be calm and let's be objective.

"Let's enjoy the fact we're not talking about relegation, we're actually talking about doing something really positive and really special.

"We have to understand the process, the journey we set out from when I joined the club again. There's going to be setbacks but I have never since I've come to the club – and this is credit to the players – seen a team that doesn't give 100 per cent, that hides from the ball or are scared to make mistakes.

"People may disagree with my selection, whether I play with a striker or not, whether player X or player Y should play, that's part of football. But for us to achieve what we want to achieve, we're all in this together.

"We've come up from League One (and now) under a different ownership we've built something. Last season we were nowhere near this position. There has to be an element of reality.

"Boos don't upset me, it's just a point of saying if we really want to achieve what we set out to achieve, everybody has to be in this together."

Looking to do the double over a team Rosenior rates more highly than the last champions is a good measure of Hull's progress, he feels.

"Their points total is incredible for this stage of the season (81 from 36 games) and they're going to go up so they're a great benchmark for us," he said. "I think Leicester are even better than Burnley were last year.

"But we know when we put our game together we're a match for anyone in this league.

"I feel like there's a narrative surrounding us but since building this group in January we've played eight games, we've got 15 points, we are in the top six. I don't understand where this energy is coming from.

"We're in a great place, we need to improve but every single team in this league has things to improve.

"I just want these players, home or away, to feel free and comfortable to express themselves and give everything to what would be an amazing accomplishment.

"There's been so many occasions this season where we've been in a comfortable position and something's happened out of the blue.

"If we take those moments out and are more ruthless in the final third, we are a very difficult team to stop at this level."

Striker Aaron Connolly is in contention after proving his fitness with the under-21s on Tuesday.