Acun Ilicali facing biggest test of Hull City ownership as Tim Walter decision looms large

Few outside Acun Ilicali's inner circle knew what was about to happen when the final whistle blew at Home Park on Saturday afternoon when Hull City's Championship campaign came to an end with a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Plymouth Argyle.

Liam Rosenior had an inkling of what was coming his way when he made the familiar journey into the MKM Stadium on Tuesday to meet Ilicali and vice-chairman Tan Kesler, he knew things behind the scenes were not right and that a previously harmonious relationship had become strained, the pair no longer spoke as regularly as they had done previously.

Of course, it was a bitterly disappointing moment for a man who cares deeply for the club he played for during his long and distinguished career, and then worked tirelessly to move from Championship strugglers to one capable of challenging at the top end of one of Europe's toughest leagues. But Rosenior has been around football all his life, he's seen it happen to his father, and understands it's how it goes. He will leave with his managerial stock high and another plum job surely won't be too far away, and while it has ended earlier than both he and Ilicali would have liked, the relationship has been beneficial for both.

READ MORE: 'He's dominant' Hull City vice-chairman opens up on Tim Walter talks and manager search

Rosenior's tenure is over and in football, things move quickly. It's brutal, it's cutthroat and we all know how it works. The initial anger and frustration which met the announcement on Tuesday afternoon has largely subsided, and fans have started to come to terms with what Ilicali described as the toughest decision he's made since buying the East Yorkshire club in January 2022. The emotional ties the 39-year-old held with the club and city perhaps made accepting the decision a little tougher and for some, it will take a little longer than others.

As with anything in life, people may not agree with a decision but as long as you front it up and explain your reasons then they're more than likely able to at least understand and respect it, even if they still do not like or agree, and that, largely feels how the fanbase appears to feel a couple of days on. Some will dispute Ilicali's methodology and others accept it, that's the nature of football.

The challenge now for Ilicali is to regain some of the trust that, according to some, he's lost with the dismissal of Rosenior. That will come with his next appointment because it is a risk, like any new arrival whether that be manager or player, though this feels bigger.

Since walking out on the MKM Stadium pitch to huge roars ahead of the 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers on January 19, 2022, everything has largely gone swimmingly well for the Turkish owner. Even the failed appointment of Shota Arveladze coupled with a few unsuccessful signings early in his tenure has not really generated too much angst amongst supporters.

Free holidays, free coach travel to away games, money behind the concourse at Plymouth, reduced tickets, vastly increased attendances and a feel-good factor not seen for a long, long time have all helped Ilicali build a unique relationship with supporters, many who worship him. And they still do, but for the first time, questions are being asked of his methods, of his decision-making.

And that's only right, fans should question decisions made by those in power of their football club. Ultimately, Ilicali is the one who funds the football club to the tune of £24m per year, and he has to make decisions, some of which people will agree with and others they won't. He's taken a lot of flak over sacking Rosenior, both locally and nationally, but he must own it and front it up, as he has done in various media interviews since. Like his reasons for moving out Rosenior or not, he has fronted up and explained it.

His challenge now is to pick the right man he believes capable of coming in and having an instant impact because there will be huge pressure him. Tim Walter, as it looks like being, will need to hit the ground running. His remit will be obvious. He will need to play attractive football, especially at the MKM Stadium, and at the same time, he will need to win football matches which, in the Championship, is not an easy task.

Not only that, he will need to go one better than Rosenior did in guiding City to a seventh-placed finish. Next season's Championship will be more competitive, there's unlikely to be three teams who amass in excess of 90 points and that may open up more chance of earning a play-off place but with it, more teams with the ability to challenge.

But make no mistake about it, even with Rosenior's brand of football, which at times at home was pedestrian, it still got City to within three points over 46 games of the top six and anything less than that will surely be deemed a failure.

There will be a significant amount of supporters who remain sceptical about the new manager and that will not dissipate unit such time as the season is underway and we get to see what the new City team looks like, how it plays and ultimately, does it win football matches consistently.

Tim Walter is seemingly the man that will be charged with coming in, hitting the ground running and playing a brand of football that is not only exciting, but wins football matches in one of the toughest leagues in Europe. The German has pedigree, he's managed two of the biggest clubs in Germany, he's coached at Bayern Munich and he will hope to have quite the impact on English shores. He's been handpicked by Ilicali and will know there is pressure and significant focus on the job he will do.

The ambitious owner will challenge the club's supporters to back him, believe in him and trust his latest appointment just as they did when Rosenior was handed his first permanent senior role 18 months ago and he'll hope that faith is rewarded by results on the pitch.