Sad Slutsky's Painful Stumble Towards Exit

LEONID Slutsky clumped out of the Hillsborough media room, dodging the assorted cameras and cables as deftly as questions about his future. “So,” quipped a colleague after the Russian had gone, his final briefing as Hull manager complete, “anybody reckon he wants a big striker?”

- Chris Dunlavy

Cue guffaws of laughter. City had just come back from 2-1 down against Wednesday to snatch a dramatic 95th-minute leveller, which – we wrongly assumed – would save Slutsky’s skin. Yet, for seven solid minutes, all the 46-year-old had done was lament the Tigers’ lack of a totem.

Exasperated

A draw that feels like a win? “Yes, but we need a big striker”. Impressive first-half display? “Yes, but after that we dropped deep and we cannot play like that because we do not have any big strikers”. And so on.

So repetitive did this mantra become that the exasperated guy from local radio specifically asked Slutsky to park the issue.

At the time, it seemed bizarre. In hindsight, not so much. Because it is now apparent that Slutsky was all but begging to be sacked for the last month.

His wish was granted on Sunday evening, terminating a miserable six-month reign that yielded just four wins from 20 games.