The former Russia and CSKA Moscow boss seems set to be tasked with getting Hull back to the Premier League.
CSKA Moscow coach Leonid Slutsky
With the Mirror reporting that Hull City will hire Leonid Slutsky as their new manager, it’s understandable that a lot of Hull fans will have no idea who he is, or what he represents as a manager – despite his success in his homeland of Russia.
Slutsky won the Russian Premier League three times and the Russian Cup twice while manager of CSKA Moscow, while also taking a Russia side largely devoid of the quality that saw them reach the semi-finals of Euro 2008 to Euro 2016, where they drew with England.
Football Soccer – Bayer 04 Leverkusen v CSKA Moscow – Champions League
With CSKA, he also managed in the Champions League on several occasions, with his most recent venture in the competition coming in the 2016/17 season, where they were pitted against Tottenham Hotspur, Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen. Perhaps unsurprisingly, CSKA finished bottom.
Going from how he set up his CSKA sides, Hull fans can expect to see a regular 4-2-3-1 formation with the two midfielders very deep, while also looking to control possession while being ruthless on the counter attack.
Football Soccer – Russia v Czech Republic – International Friendly
It won’t be the prettiest football in the world, but it will be effective – and in the Championship, substance very often presides over style. Slutsky’s style of play drew comparisons with Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho from a playing perspective, which may give fans a more clearer idea of what to expect.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is clearly a close friend of Slutsky’s, given how he championed Slutsky for the Hull job, and it won’t be a surprise if Hull’s departing players are replaced by Chelsea’s top youngsters as they seek an immediate return.
In any case, it’s certainly a period of excitement for Hull, whose fans will be hoping that Slutsky can have the same effect that Marco Silva had when he took charge of the Tigers.
Hull City manager Marco Silva
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