Sergej Jakirovic says managing Hull City's ACL victims tough as he negotiates first Christmas
Coach Sergej Jakirovic is learning on the job as he tries to nurse wingers Liam Millar and Mohamed Belloumi back physically from anterior cruciate ligament damage and his whole Hull City squad psychologically through Festive football.
Millar and Belloumi suffered their injuries in late October and early November 2024 respectively, and returned to first-team football this season.
Not unexpectedly, both have had issues since, suffering hamstring injuries as their bodies readjusted to regular Championship football.
Belloumi has just five starts since returning in August, Millar four since his comeback in September. Both are vital in how the Tigers play, the more so whilst Leeds United loanee Joe Gelhardt – a natural "No 10" who often drifts in from the right – is injured.
Belloumi is a doubt for Monday's game at Middlesbrough after coming off at Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day with a second issue in his right hamstring since returning.
"They want to play," said coach Jakirovic. "They feel good every time.
"It's very difficult for Mo because you cannot even train properly. This is the biggest problem.
"This is a very big problem for me and my staff.
"They are our number one wingers, maybe in the top five in the league – or 10, whatever."
It will be important to learn from with Eliot Matazo due back from an ACL rupture in the second half of the season.
As a former Bosnian international who has also worked in Croatia, Bulgaria, Austria, Slovenia and Turkey but never before England, this is Jakirovic's first experience of football at Christmas, and he admits he is learning how to manage it.
"It's a very big experience for me because this is now psychologically – how you will prepare the team?" he said.
"I tried everything before the Boxing Day game (a 2-2 draw at Sheffield Wednesday) but we played like it was Christmas (Day).
"If you ask them, maybe they will say we gave 100 per cent but I know my team.”