- Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic will be in the stands for Saturday’s game.
- The Tigers are fighting for a top-six place with Wrexham and Derby.
- Jakirovic was sent off against Leicester for sarcastically applauding the ref.
Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic will be absent from the touchline for the final game of the Championship season against Norwich City, and will be taking up a place in the stands at the MKM Stadium.
Norwich’s faint hopes of reaching the play-offs were ended by last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Swansea City at Carrow Road, but Hull still have everything to play for. The Tigers are battling with Wrexham and Derby County for the final top-six spot heading into what will be a dramatic finale.
Jakirovic’s side, however, have struggled to find form as of late. They have managed just two wins in their last 11 matches and are currently on a six-game run without victory.
One of those games saw Hull draw 2-2 with already-relegated Leicester, a match in which referee Thomas Kirk sent off Jakirovic. The dismissal came after he was deemed to have sarcastically applauded the official – a claim the 49-year-old strongly denied, saying he was encouraging his players.
Although he was back on the bench for their 2-1 defeat to Charlton following discussions with the FA, it was later confirmed that his one-match suspension would be served this weekend.
Salatovic with the (Tiger) stripes for Norwich game
In his absence, assistant coach Marko Salatovic will oversee matters from the touchline, supported by Dean Holden. Salatovic himself missed the Charlton match after picking up a third booking of the season – also against Leicester – which forced him to watch from the stands.
Despite the suspension, Jakirovic will still be able to be involved behind the scenes. He can deliver team talks before kick-off and at half-time, and remain in contact with his coaching staff via headset during the match. Much like Philippe Clement did against Bristol City, where he served the first touchline ban of his coaching career.
Speaking to Hull Live after the defeat to Charlton, Jakirovic explained his decision over when he would serve the ban:
“Marko (Salatovic) was in the stands because of three yellow cards, so he was banned. He will be on the bench against Norwich City on Saturday, so we will swap. I had to choose which game I would be at in the stands for. I chose that last one because Marko was in the stands, so it’s better than the next one.”
