Shota Arveladze keen to strike right balance with Hull City prospects

It translated to “Welcome to the MKM Stadium” but what it said was that Hull City are looking to go global.

Their new Turkish chairman, Acun Ilicali, would have appreciated it had he made it in by then, Storm Malik delaying his flight long enough to miss both goals in the 2-0 win over Swansea City, having nipped back home after Friday’s press conference to wish his daughter a happy birthday.

There from the start was Iranian striker Allahyar Sayyadmanesh ahead of the completion of his transfer. In the dugout was Georgian manager Shota Arveladze but not Dutchman Peter van der Ven, waiting for a work permit to become the former Rangers striker’s assistant.

So it was probably important Hull’s third win on the bounce had an East Yorkshire feel as well.

Brandon Fleming, on his first Championship start since 2019 in the only change to the XI, created the fifth-minute goal which set the ball rolling before Keane Lewis-Potter doubled the lead.

“He’s one of our own,” the 13,101 crowd sang proudly and often when either was on the ball.

“It does spur you on,” said Fleming.

With Jacob Greaves also playing, Hull fans could sing “We’ve got our club back” rather than worry about it being taken away by a Turkey/Dominican Republic-based Fenerbahce fan.

“We don’t want to cut the future of our very young quality players,” Ilicali stressed in his first press conference on Friday. In the quest for improvement, striking the right balance between outside help and native talent is vital.

“I believe every club, and especially this type of club, needs an academy,” said Arveladze at full-time. “They need to (be able to) support their own kids because this is their home ground and then they bring more supporters. They (the club’s young players) see if he can do it, why not me?”

Even the post-match music struck a balance. The Housemartins quickly followed a butchered cover of “I Can’t Help Falling In Love”.

As usual, “Caravan of Love” was chosen but it had been a happy hour and a half again.

The game had barely started before the first strains of “We’ve got Arveladze” from a fanbase glad all over to see their new coach, rather than looking down their noses at his managerial medals having come in Uzbekistan, and not put off when he did not wave at them as asked.

“It’s great because it doesn’t happen much (so quickly) and some boys told me what they sang for Allan McGregor,” smiled Arveladze. “He’s a good friend of mine and it’s better than that song.”

Midway through the first half, “Jump up if you love City” rippled around like a Mexican wave. All this fanbase has wanted for years is a club that wants to work with them, not against them.

The atmosphere was needed because adrenaline and the memory of recent wins under Grant McCann were fuelling the team. Having only just arrived, there was not much Arveladze could add yet.

“He works in a very similar way on the pitch in terms of how they want to play so we didn’t have to change much, just a few details,” explained Fleming, on the verge of a loan to Doncaster Rovers before Arveladze intervened.

“I only had two sessions,” said the coach. “I call someone’s name and sometimes someone looks, sometimes not. Then I had a day before the game when I can’t see or do much. I used 13 players of the 21 in the squad so I need time to know exactly what is going on.

“I think I need five games. I need ups and downs, I need the wins and I need to see when we are disappointed and the reactions and feedback and the language I will use to talk to the boys.

“As far I can see these are disciplined, professional boys and they will help me because I need a bit. And I have my skills.”

With Randell Williams out, McCann might have put Lewis-Potter to wing-back and brought in Tyler Smith or a midfielder, but Arveladze opted for Fleming.

“Sometimes you go easy – the other boy who can play there,” he explained.

“You take Potter out and you weaken it a bit there, then you’re not that much stronger in the position you put him in.

“He (Fleming) had a strong opponent against him and he dominated. That’s a good start. The boy done good.”

Fleming’s first contribution was a low cross Tom Eaves poked in. “We were doing a bit of crossing on Friday,” said Fleming. “Tom was saying put it front stick and I’ll go there. The first ball I get I put there and he comes up with a heck of a finish.

“I said to him at half-time I couldn’t believe it.”

Lewis-Potter had plenty of space at the back stick when Di’Shon Bernard surged out of defence in the 17th minute, found George Honeyman and watched his cross drop nicely to volley in.

Ensuring Lewis-Potter is at his hometown club tomorrow despite Brentford interest is rightly one of the regime’s priorities. Swansea had plenty of the ball after that but looked incapable of doing anything with it – through first-half ineptitude and second-half bad luck. Their fans knew what was coming, singing “We’ve had a shot!” after 35 minutes.

Ryan Manning’s deflected second-half strike was cleared as far as substitute Michael Obafemi, whose effort was brilliantly tipped onto the woodwork by Nathan Baxter. When Liam Walsh’s free-kick hit the post, Joel Piroe’s miss was a shocker.

“I turned and said, ‘God is with me today,’” admitted Arveladze.

God, plus a fair number of East Yorkshiremen – some on the pitch. Keeping it that way will be crucial to Ilicali’s success.