Hull City v Bristol City – Grant McCann in no mood for ‘nearly-men’ status

GRANT McCANN, the Hull City head coach, has challenged his side not to become a “nearly team” this season.
Hull City's Kamil Grosicki.  Picture: Bruce RollinsonHull City's Kamil Grosicki.  Picture: Bruce Rollinson
Hull City's Kamil Grosicki. Picture: Bruce Rollinson
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The Tigers host Bristol City today looking to bounce back from a midweek defeat at home to Blackburn Rovers.

It was only the club’s second loss at the KCOM Stadium since the start of 2019 and City performed well, particularly in a first half that saw Jarrod Bowen have a penalty saved and Kamil Grosicki strike a post.

Hull City head coach, Grant McCann. Picture: Bruce RollinsonHull City head coach, Grant McCann. Picture: Bruce Rollinson
Hull City head coach, Grant McCann. Picture: Bruce Rollinson
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But McCann wants points and performances, the Hull chief revealing in the wake of the Blackburn clash that his side are already “probably three or four points” behind what he had targeted after four games of the new season.

“It is going to be another tough game,” he said about facing Bristol City today.

“They have won two in a row now and they have got momentum. They have gone to Derby and won but that just emphasises this league.

“If we are all being honest, you look at Leeds and Fulham, and they are the two standing out at the minute. But, apart from that, I don’t think there is much in the rest of the teams.

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“We want to make sure that we can be one of those teams that is up there.

“Every game is quite open. That is the Championship, it can go either way.

“There is not much in the division at all. It is all about taking chances.

“We want to make sure we are not a nearly team and I have said that to the boys.

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“We are not nearly men here. We don’t want to be that team where you say, ‘Aren’t they a good team coming forward but nothing comes off’.

“We did not test the keeper enough against Blackburn but in the previous games we have. We know we have to get better.”

City have four points from as many games after beating Reading in their opening home fixture and taking a point from last weekend’s trip to Brentford. The Tigers were beaten on the opening day by Swansea City.

“We have got a real belief in the way we work and the group are buying into that,” said McCann. “That is the key. Having those two ingredients coming together, the standards go up every day. The boys know what it takes to get a result but we also know that if we do not do certain aspects that we work on then we can lose a game.

“The results haven’t gone our way at Swansea and Blackburn but in every single game we could’ve won but for lapses in concentration.”