Mourinho’s ‘kid friend’ Silva appointed Hull boss

Marco Silva: New boss (picture courtesy of Hull City)

Hull City have confirmed the appointment of Marco Silva as the club’s new head coach.

The Tigers, bottom of the Premier League after winning only three league games this season, have wasted little time in naming former Sporting Lisbon and Olympiakos coach Silva as successor to Mike Phelan, who was sacked on Tuesday evening.

Portuguese Silva, 39, becomes Hull’s third head coach since winning promotion back to the top flight in May and took his first squad session alongside his coaching staff at the club’s Cottingham training ground on Thursday lunchtime.

A club statement read: “The Tigers are pleased to confirm the appointment of Marco Silva as the club’s new head coach.

“Silva, 39, has agreed a deal until the end of the current season with the Portuguese set to take charge of the team for the first time for Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup third-round tie with Swansea at the KCOM Stadium.

“Silva will be joined at the club by assistant head coach Joao Pedro Sousa, first-team coach Goncalo Pedro and goalkeeping coach Hugo Oliveira.”

Former Sporting Lisbon and Estoril coach Silva guided Olympiacos to the Greek title in his sole season in charge before leaving the club in the summer, citing personal reasons for his departure.

Tigers vice-chairman Ehab Allam said: “Marco is a young coach who has impressed us with his philosophy and football style.

“He has a great track record and we feel this is a bold and exciting appointment in our aim to retain the club’s Premier League status.

“Marco will be bringing in his own back-room team who have all played their part in his recent success.

“We are already working hard with Marco and his team to deliver some key additions to our squad during this transfer window.”

 

Here are five things from the Press Association about the former Sporting Lisbon and Olympiakos coach that you may not have known.

1. Silva spent most of his 15-year playing career as a defender in Portugal’s lower divisions, but quickly made his name in his first coaching job, steering Estoril to promotion to the Primeira Liga in 2012 for the first time in seven years. Estoril finished fifth and qualified for the Europa League in their first season back in the top flight and after guiding them to fourth place the following season, Silva left the club to become coach of Sporting.

2. During Silva’s third campaign with Estoril, the club became the first visitors to win a league game at Porto in six years when they won 1-0 at Estadio do Dragao in February 2014. The previous club to have achieved the feat were Leixoes in 2008.

3. Silva guided Sporting to a third-place finish in the Primeira Liga and their first major trophy win in four years when they lifted the 2015 Portuguese Cup in his first season in charge. But four days later he was sacked – reportedly for not wearing the club’s official suit during a match in a previous round. His dismissal paved the way for Sporting’s controversial appointment of Jorge Jesus, who had previously been in charge at city rivals Benfica.

4. In July 2015, Silva was appointed as coach at Olympiakos and in his sole season at the Greek club steered them to a sixth straight league title with six games to spare. During that success, Olympiakos won 17 consecutive matches, but Silva resigned at the end of the season, citing personal reasons for his departure.

5. Jose Mourinho described Silva as “a kid friend” in November 2015. Ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Olympiakos, Mourinho said: “They (Arsenal) are in a group where a kid friend of mine, Marco Silva, is the manager of Olympiakos. It would be fantastic for the kid’s career to go through, so I have to be honest and say that I would like the kid and Olympiakos to go on.”