Hull City officially announced the sacking of head coach Ruben Celles. The Spanish coach has been in charge for less than six months since taking office in December last year, becoming the third coach to be sacked under Akun Ilikali in the club in the past year.

When the 41-year-old Celes took over, the team was in danger of finishing 22nd in the Championship. He led the team in 28 games, winning only 9 games, but eventually tied with Portsmouth 1-1 in the final game of the season, narrowly avoiding relegation. However, even after completing the task of avoiding relegation, he still failed to keep his position as coach.

"Following a comprehensive review of our overall operations during a challenging season, the club has determined that changes in leadership are required to align with our future ambitions," the club said in a statement.

Celes' departure was controversial because he was the third manager to be sacked by Hull City in the first year of Ilicari's management. At the end of last season, Liam Rosenier, who was close to reaching the play-offs, was also sacked at a similar time due to differences with the boss on football philosophy. Now Rosenier has regained confidence in Strasbourg in Ligue 1, leading the team to sixth place, just one step away from qualifying for the European Cup next season.

Hull City hired German coach Tim Walter last summer but was sacked after just 18 games, with the team falling to 22nd place and winning just three games. Although Celes' appointment helped the team escape from the crisis, he was not given the opportunity to continue coaching.

This is the fifth time that Irikari has looked for a new manager since taking over the club in early 2022, and Hull City's turmoil continues.