Video: Hull City boss Leonid Slutsky focuses mind on long-term view

The Tigers host Nottingham Forest in tomorrow’s televised tea-time clash at the KCOM Stadium on the back of taking seven points from their last three outings.

With back-to-back matches on home soil coming up – Middlesbrough are the visitors on Tuesday – City have a chance to move up the table.

It isn’t, though, just on-field matters focusing minds at Hull with a host of first team players well into the final 12 months of their contracts.

Michael Dawson revealed earlier today that his agent, after making initial contact with the club hierarchy about negotiations over a possible extension, was still awaiting a response.

Slutsky, however, wants the 33-year-old to stay in the East Riding beyond next summer. Asked about a situation that also sees the contracts of Allan McGregor, Seb Larsson, Adama Diomande and David Meyler expire next year, the Tigers head coach said: “We spoke with chief scout and we had special conversation about the future, about my opinion on who is finishing contract and my opinion on re-signing players.

“Of course, Dawson was on my list and I will be very happy if he signs new contract with club and he stays here maximum long.

“I don’t know absolutely but I know that the club met with his agent and now we are in the process of negotiating.

“I think we have professional players here and everyone is concentrating only on the match tomorrow, no-one is thinking about the far future.

“But, of course, for confidence and security, especially for the experienced players, it is important to have a long term contract and I hope we will decide all our problems with contracts before the winter transfer window.”

Abel Hernandez is another into the final year of his contract. Asked about a striker who ruptured his Achilles in August, Slutsky added: “Yes, Abel Hernandez is the same situation.

“We spoke before (the injury) about his new contract, his agent came to the training ground and of course everything has stopped now.

“But I think in wintertime or January, we will sit again and speak about new contract.”