Steve Bruce, Hull City Agree to New Contract: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction
Mar 11, 2015
STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 28: Hull City Manager Steve Bruce looks on prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Stoke City and Hull City at Britannia Stadium on February 28, 2015 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Hull City have moved to keep manager Steve Bruce in place beyond this season. The Tigers have come to terms with the man who guided them to last season's FA Cup final, per the club's official Twitter feed:
EXCLUSIVE: We are delighted to confirm that Steve Bruce has agreed a new deal with the Club, which will be signed within the next 24 hours
Bruce may not have actually signed on the dotted line just yet, but he's expressed his delight at earning a new deal with the club he took into the Premier League two seasons ago.
Bruce also maintained his focus on the upcoming Premier League clash with Leicester City, per the club's official site: “We have got ourselves in a decent position – they are all big games in this league and it doesn’t get any bigger than this coming Saturday.”
Bruce is right to stay focused. His team are just five points above the drop zone with 10 games left to play, per the league's official site. Maintaining top-flight status for another season would be another worthy achievement in what's been an excellent marriage between club and manager.
Former Team-Mates Ben Arfa and Benzema Have Taken Wildly Different Paths
Dec 16, 2014
French national soccer forwards players, Hatem Ben Arfa, left, and Karim Benzema, right, chat during a training session in Clairefontaine near Paris, Thursday, May 24, 2012. France will play Iceland on Sunday. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
There was a time, believe it or not, when Hatem Ben Arfa was considered as bright a prospect as Karim Benzema. Maybe brighter.
Introduced to the football world as the petulant youth who clashed with Abou Diaby during a Clairefontaine documentary, at 15 years of age the ultra-skilled playmaker joined Lyon's academy and two years later, in 2004, made his senior debut for Les Gones.
Karim Benzema, Hatem Ben Arfa and Fred celebrate a 2008 goal for Lyon.
The moniker, which means "The Kids," would prove highly appropriate when Alain Perrin was appointed manager in 2007, and it was through his trust and guidance that the Ben Arfa-Benzema partnership began to flourish.
Both players enjoyed breakout seasons in 2007-08, but as the campaign wore on, Ben Arfa's work ethic, or lack thereof, began to grate on Perrin. Following a tussle with team-mate Sebastian Squillaci, the then-21-year-old was sold to Ligue 1 rivals Marseille.
A year later Benzema joined Real Madrid—his development, for so long so parallel with that of Ben Arfa's, having wildly and favourably diverged.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00zAwQZVUCo
Since their separation, Benzema has matured into a versatile, well-rounded centre-forward. His partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most lethal in the recent history of the sport, and while he occasionally takes criticism for not scoring enough goals, his work rate is rarely questioned.
Ben Arfa's, on the other hand, is nonexistent.
After moving to Marseille, the attacker fell out with managers Eric Gerets and Didier Deschamps, and before moving to Newcastle in 2010, he was criticised for not being "committed enough physically" by former L'OM president Jean-Claude Dassier.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 27: Hatem Ben Arfa of Newcastle during the Barclays Premier League match between Sunderland and Newcastle United at Stadium of Light on October 27, 2013 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Richard Sellers/Getty Images)
"He does not do enough for the team, does not sweat enough for the shirt," Dassier told France Football, as per ESPN FC. "I regret this deeply because, as a player, he has what it takes to be great."
But he also has an attitude problem, which is why his loan to Hull City will likely be cancelled in January.
"It's fair to say that with Ben Arfa that I can't see there being a future," Tigers boss Steve Bruce remarked on Tuesday, according to the Hull Daily Mail. "It's a team and you've got to reform and come into the team. Unfortunately he wants to do things his way."
Alan Pardew has confirmed Hatem Ben Arfa still has no future at Newcastle United despite his loan deal being terminated at Hull City. #nufc
Newcastle, meanwhile, are similarly uninterested in bringing Ben Arfa back to St. James' Park, with manager Alan Pardew telling the Evening Chronicle: "He won't be coming back here."
Incidentally, but not surprisingly, nobody is all that certain where the 27-year-old happens to be at the moment.
Hull City Under UEFA Investigation for Potential Financial Fair Play Violations
Dec 5, 2014
HULL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 23: A general view during the Barclays Premier League match between Hull City and Tottenham Hotspur at KC Stadium on November 23, 2014 in Hull, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
UEFA are reportedly set to conduct a full investigation into Hull City’s finances as part of the Financial Fair Play regulations.
According to Paul Gorst of The Mirror, the Tigers are one of a number of sides who will have to submit their financial information to European football’s governing body to see if there have been any offences committed.
Amy Lewis of Sky Sports provided further information on the matter, claiming that Liverpool are another of the clubs being looked at by UEFA:
UEFA investigatory chamber will continue investigations into 7 clubs inc #LFC on break-even submissions (FFP) & asked Hull for more info
The Premier League has already felt the effect of these new regulations in earnest, with champions Manchester City falling foul of the requisite demands back in May. Subsequently they were fined £50 million and had their squad of players for the Champions League reduced to just 21 players.
As quoted in Gorst's piece, UEFA believe these new guidelines are already having "a very positive impact" on the game.
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 18: Abel Hernandez of Hull City celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Hull City at Emirates Stadium on October 18, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Clive
According to transfermarkt.co.uk, Steve Bruce’s side—who played in European competition for the first time in their history this season—had a net spend of over £20 million this summer after signing the likes of Abel Hernandez, Robert Snodgrass and Jake Livermore. They are currently languishing down in 17th in the Premier League table.
Hull City vs. Tottenham: Goals, Highlights from Premier League Match
Nov 23, 2014
Christian Eriksen rescued Tottenham with a late goal to secure three points for Spurs over 10-man Hull with a superbly taken effort.
Eriksen fired from just outside the 18-yard box to the far post to secure three points and complete the comebac
Jake Livermore scored a lovely goal for Hull, giving the hosts an early lead against Tottenham, Livermore's former club
Livermore hit a well-taken low shot that beat Hugo Lloris at the far post. He then neglected to celebrate afterward.
Steve Harper Injury: Updates on Hull City Star's Arm and Return
Oct 18, 2014
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 18: Steve Harper of Hull City receives treatment for an injury before being substituted during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Hull City at Emirates Stadium on October 18, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Hull City's Steve Harper was forced to exit the pitch during the Tigers' Premier League meeting with Arsenal on Saturday with an apparent arm injury, as shared by the Hull Daily Mail's Philip Buckingham:
Steve Harper struggling. Holding his arm. Jakupovic warming up.
The veteran stopper was playing in just his second Premier League match of the season, replacing the injured Allan McGregor, and initially appeared to injure his shoulder landing awkwardly after making a save.
He clutched his arm as he came off the pitch, however, and was replaced by Eldin Jakupovic. Sky Sports commentator Geoff Shreeves was disappointed for him, as he was having an excellent match:
Great shame that veteran keeper Steve Harper forced off with injury. Been superb today for Hull.
Harper spent 10 years with Newcastle United before moving to Hull City, and with a multitude of loan stints in the lower leagues, his chances to play in the Premier League have always been limited.
Hull are now down to their third-choice stopper in Jakupovic, with McGregor not expected to return to health for another two weeks.
Hull's Transfers Are a Major Roll of the Dice by Steve Bruce
Sep 17, 2014
HULL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 15: New Hull City signing Hatem Ben Arfa gets some advice from manager Steve Bruce before coming on for his debut during the Barclays Premier League match between Hull City and West Ham United at KC Stadium on September 15, 2014 in Hull, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Steve Bruce’s busy summer in the transfer window has been hailed as one of the best in the Premier League. Bruce brought in no fewer than 10 players to add to the squad which finished 16th and reached the FA Cup final last term. However, in adding to his squad, Bruce has bucked a trend that has marked his 16-year managerial career, turning away from his reliance on home nation-based talent. In doing so, he has brought several exciting players to the club, but opened himself up to considerable pressure in the process.
Bruce has welcomed the likes of Abel Hernandez—for a club-record £9.5 million—Mohamed Diame, Gaston Ramirez and Hatem Ben Arfa to the club, and in doing so has added some flair to the functionality his teams are so often focussed on.
He has, of course, signed and worked with numerous foreign players before. His tendency to focus on players from the UK is an attitude born of the long-held belief that British players have an innate understanding of the style and culture of the Premier League that those born futher afield sometimes lack. Jake Livermore—prior to the arrivals of the four aforementioned players—stated his belief that Bruce had deliberately crafted a British core to the team with this in mind, per the Hull Daily Mail.
Prior to the final day of the transfer window, Bruce had signed only British players, and only one player not from the UK or Ireland—Ahmed Elmohamady—started their Europa League tie with AS Trencin. The manner in which Bruce injected the foreign influence into his team—Hernandez, Diame, Ramirez and Ben Arfa all arrived on transfer-deadline day—had something of a panicked, scattergun feel to it.
HULL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 15: Mohamed Diame of Hull City (17) celebrates with Andrew Robertson (26) and Nikica Jelevic (18) as he scores their second goal during Barclays Premier League match between Hull City and West Ham United at KC Stadium on Septemb
Bruce will have to work to ensure that this influx of players doesn’t damage the team spirit identified by Livermore as crucial to their success, while also avoiding Hull’s foreign contingent feeling isolated by the majority presence of British players. Ben Arfa in particular has the capability of upsetting even the most tightly knit of dressing rooms, as evidenced by his falling out with Newcastle manager Alan Pardew.
As well as managing the squad, Bruce will also be wary of the club’s owner, Assem Allam. Allam has been instrumental in the club’s recent successes, bank-rolling their return to the Premier League and helping them retain their top-flight status last season. However, his campaign to change the club’s name—and his subsequent decision to put Hull up for sale, per The Guardian—has demonstrated his desire to have things his own way. What role he played in the club’s transfer dealings is unclear; regardless, Bruce’s significant outlay in the market has opened himself up to considerably more scrutiny.
Bruce is one of the most highly rated managers in the country, and this move into the unknown is admirable more than anything else. It could well prove to be the decision that propels City into the upper reaches of the top division for the first time in their long history. On the other hand, he must make certain that it doesn’t disturb an already winning formula.
Hatem Ben Arfa to Hull City: Latest Loan Details, Reaction and More
Sep 1, 2014
Hatem Ben Arfa will look to revitalize his club career with Hull City after Newcastle United accepted a loan offer for the veteran winger.
The club's official Twitter account confirmed the news:
The move doesn't come as a surprise. It was clear during the latter stages of the campaign that Ben Arfa and Newcastle manager Alan Pardew weren't on the same page. Once the season ended, the exit talk surrounding the French international heated up.
Talent has never been the concern for Ben Arfa during any of his three stops, the previous two coming with Marseille and Lyon of Ligue 1. He's always flashed the potential to become one of the most impactful wingers in Europe.
To what extent he applies himself is the biggest issue. There are times when he's unquestionably the best player on the pitch and other matches where he's barely noticeable. That lack of consistency is frustrating for any manager.
One of those times when his ability was on full display came against Stoke City around midseason, as illustrated by WhoScored.com:
He wasn't able to replicate that type of performance during the second half of the campaign. He finished the season with 27 Premier League appearances, 14 of which came as a substitute. He scored three goals and chipped in three assists.
As questions were raised about his future, he acknowledged that staying with Newcastle was his preference despite the differences with Pardew. The Hartlepool Mail passed along his comments about wanting to prove himself at St. James' Park:
If the manager says to me he doesn't believe in me for next season, I respect that, but I want to stay. But if the president (Mike Ashley) wants to sell me, I have to go.
I want to stay here even if the manager doesn’t believe in me, because I will show him I can play here.
Then reports surfaced as the club began preparations for the new season that Ben Arfa showed up overweight. Luke Edwards of The Telegraph reported allegations had emerged of a fine from the club for a lack of match fitness. It wasn't the first issue:
"Despite once describing him as his 'match-winner' and good enough to rival the world's best players, manager Alan Pardew had frozen Ben Arfa out of the first-team squad following a series of clashes last season."
Apparently his wish to stay wasn't enough to convince the club to give him another chance to prove himself next season. Ultimately, that may be a good thing for Ben Arfa.
The situation had clearly reached a point where Pardew felt more comfortable building his weekly squad without the inconsistent winger. Instead of staying in that endless cycle of changing roles, the Frenchman will get a fresh start.
Even at age 27, there's certainly some untapped potential in him. Whether he will ever reach it or remain somewhat of an ongoing quandary is a mystery.
The biggest key for Ben Arfa is using the transfer to change outside perception. He needs to showcase an outstanding work ethic from training session to training session and from match to match. If he does, the results will improve.
Should he make those positive steps in the right direction, the signing could turn out to be one of the biggest bargains of the summer.
Ben Arfa is a game-changing player when in top form. He just didn't play at that level enough to convince Newcastle to keep him.
Jake Livermore to Hull City: Latest Transfer Details, Reaction and More
Jun 25, 2014
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 28: Jake Livermore of Hull City in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Crystal Palace v Hull City at Selhurst Park on January 28, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
After an impressive loan spell with Hull City from Tottenham Hotspur this past season, the Tigers have officially made Jake Livermore part of the club with a record transfer agreement.
According to an official press release from Hull City, the deal is for an undisclosed fee with a term of three years.
With his future no longer in doubt, Livermore is excited to be a key cog in the Hull City attack moving forward.
I'm delighted to be joining Hull City on a permanent basis. ... I thoroughly enjoyed my season here on loan and I firmly believe that this club will keep on going from strength to strength. I made my feelings known that I wanted to come here permanently and once the two clubs had agreed the fee, it was very straightforward.
Although Hull City has yet to make the full details of the deal public, Philip Buckingham of the Hull Daily Mail revealed the potential monetary terms:
While Hull City only managed a 16th-place finish in the EPL during the 2013-14 campaign, things are looking up. The Tigers shockingly reached the FA Cup final and showed some flashes of brilliance at various points throughout the season.
The 24-year-old Livermore scored three times for Hull City and has the potential to be an even bigger contributor in that regard next season and beyond.
From Livermore's perspective, staying with Hull City is the best possible thing for his career. He may have had an opportunity at more immediate success with Tottenham, however, his playing time would have been limited and he may not have grown at the desired rate.
Livermore and Hull City will probably have to take their lumps and brave some rough patches in 2014-15, but they will come out of the season much better for it.
Clubs like Hull City have to roll the dice on young, talent-laden players like Livermore in order to ultimately compete with the big boys. There is no guarantee that it will work out, but the Tigers deserve credit for being aggressive and investing in the future.
Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski grabbed a brace against Hull in a comfortable 3-0 win at the KC Stadium...
FA Cup Results 2014: Tracking Semi-Final Scores, Key Stats and More
Apr 12, 2014
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 12: Lukasz Fabianski of Arsenal celebrates winning the penalty shoot out with team mates during the FA Cup Semi-Final match between Wigan Athletic and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on April 12, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Hull City face Arsenal in their first FA Cup Final following a frenetic 5-3 victory over Sheffield United at Wembley.
Nigel Clough's Blades' side put in a brave effort as they bid to become the first third tier side to reach the FA Cup Final since Tottenham Hotspur in 1901. But it was not to be as the Tigers emerged victors in an eight goal thriller at Wembley.
Jose Baxter sent the Blades ahead early on before Yannick Sagbo equalised for Steve Bruce's men. Stefan Scougall responded for United soon after to send them 2-1 up at the break.
Bruce's half time team talk seemingly inspired his men to respond as Matty Fryatt and Tom Huddlestone scored within ten minutes of the restart to give Hull the lead. Huddlestone's effort was a classy finish that underlined the difference in quality between the two sides, as per BBC Sport.
Stephen Quinn gave Hull a two goal cushion before Jamie Murphy gave Sheffield United a fleeting hope of rescuing the match with a 90th minute goal that brought the score back to 4-3. It was not to be, however, as David Meyler secured victory and a final place for Hull City.
Steve Bruce, who won the FA Cup three times with Manchester United, was delirious following the victory, as per BBC Sport.
We are absolutely delighted. We needed one hell of a turn around but the one thing you can't do with this team is write them off.
You have to give credit to Sheffield United. They took care of the ball better than we did and we had a poor first half.
We needed to go two up top and once we did that we have won out OK.
There are always going to be nerves and it is how you handle it. We certainly found it difficult in the first half.
The pressure is on Arsenal. They haven't won anything for a while and that will be brought up again.
Nigel Clough's was bidding to win the FA Cup, a feat never achieved by his father Brian - widely recognised to be one of the greatest British managers of all time. But it was not to be for Clough Jnr. despite a bright start by his Blades' side.
This year's FA Cup has proved a welcome distraction for the Yorkshire side, as they sit comfortably in mid-table in League Two, seven points adrift of the play off positions. A side unfamiliar with their current league position, United will hope they can carry some of their FA Cup form into next season as they bid to join their fierce rivals, Sheffield Wednesday, in the Championship.
We are proud of their efforts but we are a bit disappointed as we had a chance today.
We knew they would make a change or two and go more direct but we knew we had to stand up to it for 10 minutes and try and get a third goal ourselves but we couldn't.
I am proud for the whole club, the support was amazing and I am just sorry we couldn't have won it for them.
It's been a great Cup run and that hasn't changed. I think we will look back at better memories in a week or so than we do at the moment.
The 2014 FA Cup semi-finals got underway on Saturday, with Arsenal beating Wigan Athletic on penalties, 4-2, to become the first club to advance to the final, as the Gunners look to end one of the longest trophy droughts in club history.
After 120 minutes of football, a 1-1 draw was all either team could muster with Per Mertesacker going from villain to hero, committing the foul that lead to Jordi Gomez's penalty goal and equalising with a close-range header.
Scott Carson played an excellent game in goal for the defending champions, and Callum McManaman will be haunting Nacho Monreal's nightmares for the next few weeks, but the Gunners grew into the contest and had plenty of chances to finish the Latics in the final 15 minutes.
Extra time belonged to Arsenal as well, but the closest the North Londoners would come to scoring would be a beautiful blast from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain that bounced off the crossbar.
So the game went to penalties, and Lukasz Fabianski became the big hero for the Gunners by stopping the first two shots he faced on his way to securing his team's 4-2 win in the series. Santi Cazorla would score the final penalty for his club, as Arsenal advanced to the final.
Date
Home
Away
Result
Saturday, April 12
Arsenal
Wigan Athletic
1-1 (4-2)
Sunday, April 13
Hull City
Sheffield United
5-3
Team shareholder Darren lauded the match winner:
Goal.com's Wayne Veysey noted how glad Arsene Wenger was with the win:
Arsenal dominated possession throughout the match, and per WhoScored.com, he ended the match with 62 percent while out-shooting the Latics, 27-9. But only a third of those shots were on target, and a conversion rate of a single goal is simply not good enough in a fixture of this magnitude.
Manager Uwe Rosler had his team ready for the Gunners and rightfully received a lot of credit, but his substitution of McManaman might have been the turning point in this tie.
Choosing experience over the marauding runs of the youngster seems like a logical choice, but without McManaman, Wigan lacked any form of depth to trouble Arsenal's defense.
Bleacher Report's Nick Akerman saw the same thing:
Without having to worry about the threat of the counter as much, the Gunners were able to commit more players to the attacking third, and unsurprisingly, it was a defender that would score the equaliser.
Speaking of, Arsenal's attackers weren't on point on Saturday, and FutbolBible put things bluntly when discussing Olivier Giroud:
Yaya Sanogo got his chance to play up front for the Gunners and showed his eagerness, but the French striker failed to register on the scoresheet as his rawness was on full display on such a large stage.
Squawka's James McManus reminded everyone Sanogo is starting to near the age at which you can no longer speak of players as "prospects":
Arsenal will take on the winners of Sunday's fixture between Hull City and Sheffield United, and the Gunners will be favoured going into the final regardless of their opponents.
Wenger and his team have endured a nine-year trophy drought and fans are desperate for some silverware, so this year's FA Cup final will be one of the most important matches the team will play all season.
Arsenal have struggled dealing with pressure in 2014, but next month's final should present the Gunners with the perfect opportunity to take care of those demons once and for all.
