Hull City have sacked head coach Tim Walter after a run of nine games without a win brought a fall into the Championship’s relegation zone.
Walter only began his role at the MKM Stadium in July, signing a three-year deal to replace Liam Rosenior.
The 49-year-old German had been backed to implement a bold, attacking strategy but leaves after winning just three of his 18 league and cup games in charge.
A 2-0 defeat at home to Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night proved to be Walter’s last stand, despite owner Acun Ilicali giving Walter his full backing ahead of the game.
Hull are now in danger of a season fighting relegation to League One, a year after they narrowly missed out on the Championship play-offs under Rosenior.
That seventh-place finish was ultimately deemed unsatisfactory by Ilicali, who complained that he and Rosenior did not share the same long-term vision for the club.
Walter, who had previously managed Stuttgart and Hamburg, was appointed to implement a philosophy more to Ilicali’s liking but was unable to bring the best out of a squad that was overhauled in the summer.
It took until September 20 for Walter to win his first game in charge of Hull but that run of three straight victories against Stoke City, Cardiff City and Queens Park Rangers proved to be a false dawn. Just three points were taken from a possible 27 after Sheffield Wednesday became the latest club to pile the pressure on Walter this week.
Ilicali had appeared on BBC Radio Humberside ahead of the game to assure fans that Walter would remain in charge regardless of the result but the vocal opposition heard at the MKM Stadium led to the sacking on Wednesday afternoon.
Ilicali has now sacked four managers since arriving as Hull’s owner in January 2022, with Walter joining Grant McCann, Shota Arveladze and Rosenior.
(George Wood/Getty Images)
