Jose Mourinho, emotionally hammered by a turbulent spell in charge of Manchester United, told reporters of his changed mentality in the dugout. The once volatile coach, well renowned for his outbursts on the touchline had seemingly toned down his pitch side theatrics.
"I didn't celebrate... With maturity you go into levels that you control your emotions better."
"You don't go crazy when you win. You don’t get depressed when you lose. You are much more stable with experience. "
On the one hand, becoming a stone faced figure on the edge of your technical area is the hallmark of a legendary coach, however to remove all emotion from football is to remove its very soul. For a game now swarming with stats, numbers and science, the feeling of a last minute goal or a penalty shootout is still the beating heart of the beautiful game.
It's fairly safe to say that in a fixture that contained eight goals, two penalties and a near sell out crowd, the beating heart of football lied at the Stadium of Light on Friday.
Arms outstretched and fists pumping triumphantly towards the dugout, it is evident that Liam Rosenior is not a subscriber to Mourinho school of thought; but really, who can blame him as Ozan Tufan fired the ball home to put his Hull side 1-0 with just over ten minutes on the clock.
For a side only just promoted to the championship, Sunderland looked an outfit with Premier League promotion firmly in their sights and a raft of top division talent to go with it. This left many Hull fans travelling north fearing a loss at the hands of the Black Cats, making the opening goal a moment to savour for all those occupying the upper tier of the north stand.
Ozan Tufan fires home the opening goal for the away side (Hull City)
To say that Liam Rosenior has had an easy ride during his first six months in charge of Hull City would be far from the truth. Overhauling a struggling side limping towards their worst defensive season since 1955/56, any successor to the ill-fated Shota Arveladze would have to act fast to stop the rot in East Yorkshire and get the Tiger's back on track.
Whilst critics brand Rosenior's style of play as boring, the defensive stability that the 38-year-old has brought cannot go unnoticed. For a side that shipped an average of two goals per game prior to Rosenior's arrival, the nine clean sheets Hull have picked up during the Englishman's tenure shows just how far the once relegation bound Tigers have come in a short space of time.
However, when working under an owner who boasts he'd rather lose 3-2 than draw 0-0, clean sheets are worth nothing if there's little action at the other end. So when your stadium hosts its largest crowd since its days in the Premiership, to not score at all is equal to a loss. Well at least in the eyes of the man who calls the shots.
This made the goalless draw against Rotherham a cause for concern for those in the boardroom at Hull. A man with show-business in his blood, Acun Ilicali is born to entertain audiences, not bore them with safety first play in the name of defensive sensibility.
Generally as a rule of thumb, stories within the tabloid press should be taken with a pinch of salt but when they concern your club (who are rarely given national media coverage), it's difficult to not pay attention. This made it almost impossible to avoid when arguably the least reputable of such outlets ran a story citing Hull owner, Acun Ilicali's disappointment with Rosenior following the Rotherham draw and speculating on an impending sacking at the MKM Stadium.
Immediately, fans feared that the manager who had steadied the sinking ship left by Arveladze would be out of the door without every getting a true opportunity to leave his mark on the club. For a man who had given so much to Hull during his playing days, to cast Rosenior aside in favour of a relative unknown from the continent would be the first major misstep in what has been an arguably stellar start to the Acun-era in East Yorkshire.
For these reasons, it's no wonder Rosenior could not contain his emotions as Hull found themselves a goal ahead on Wearside.
Broadcast on Sky TV to a bumper audience of bank holiday revellers, Acun would've earmarked this fixture as a chance to sell his new look Hull side to a nationwide audience. Rosenior would have to deliver and with Tufan striking early, he had done exactly that.
As is common with the cut and thrust of Championship football, a match can turn on its head in the blink of an eye and in the space of just over a minute, the Sunderland side caught off guard by the Hull opener found themselves in front. Goals from loanees Joe Gelhardt and Amad Diallo brought the home crowd to life and left the Hull faithful fearing that the game was out of their reach with less than half an hour on the clock.
However, before a single #roseniorout tweet could even be drafted, Hull had found their second goal seemingly out of nowhere. Allahyar Sayadmanesh, a man who's last Good Friday appearance ended with him on the scoresheet, latched on to a rebound off the keeper and with an open goal in front of him, fired home to send the teams into half time with the game tied.
Allahyar Sayadmanesh celebrates his first goal of the season (Hull City)
Pints drank, breath caught, fans returned to their seats expecting a quieter 45 minutes to follow a whirlwind first half. Unfortunately, for those who struggle with the anxiety and emotions of the world's greatest drama, the second half saw the spectacle dialled up to eleven.
First, a goal from Regan Slater who's goalscoring antics have been the surprise package of the season. A close range strike right into the top corner left the Black Cats' keeper helpless and Hull fans jubilant. The Tigers now back in front with just over an hour on the clock.
Of course in a game that seemingly had it all, it would be rude to not throw in some penalty drama for good measure. A clumsy at best challenge from makeshift right back Alfie Jones saw Keith Stroud point to the spot and Amad score his second of the game.
With Hull fans still chuntering about the dubious officiating, Sunderland once again took advantage of the forced alterations to the Tiger's backline and struck home their fourth. For a Hull side that had struggled to find the net all season, to score three goals away from home and come away with nothing to show for it was nothing short of a disappointment.
For the remaining ten minutes of the game Hull tried everything to carve out a chance with nothing falling for the black and amber side. In seemingly the dying embers of the game, the penalty that had appeared so harsh up the other end of the pitch was given retribution by Regan Slater going down in the box and Stroud once again pointing to the spot.
Convenient injuries in the box for the home side stalled proceedings and left everyone in the ground feeling the nerves.
Rosenior arguably felt it more than most. Regardless of what Acun may claim, there is no fun in losing 4-3. To go out and play so well but come away empty handed is a feeling no team wants but to snatch a draw in the last minute... well, few things can beat that.
Standing next to Rosenior is Sunderland manager, Tony Mowbray. A weathered veteran of the English game who has seen it all during over two decades in coaching. Twenty years the Hull manager's senior, Mowbray is a Championship mainstay having coached multiple clubs over the years, rarely with the intention of settling at one for the longterm.
Championship managers essentially operate on a revolving door being hired by another club as quickly as they are sacked. Take Sunderland for example whose manager going into the season, Alex Neil, jumped ship for what he saw as greener pastures at Stoke only for Mowbray (who had left Blackburn that same summer) to take his place.
With fifteen different Championship clubs changing their managers this season, the conveyer belt of 'safe pair of hands' coaches is now the reality of England's second division. In the event that Acun decides to part ways with Rosenior, the club would find themselves with the dilemma they faced when Arveladze left; dip their hands into the unpredictable international market or take their turn and find their mercenary manager for the next season at best.
In Rosenior, Hull have stumbled upon a modern managerial oddity. A man with playing experience and a love for the club but also a genuine talent for coaching. In a game of backstabbing and betrayal, a loyal manager is a luxury few teams can boast. Rosenior would unlikely be tempted by a move to a Championship rival leaving Hull with at least one certainty going into every game.
It's Rosenior's love for the club that leads to his emotion on the touchline. He is not just managing a team, he's managing his team. This is not a pay check or a stopgap; this is the club he loves.
Liam Rosenior alongside Tony Mowbray on the touchline (Sunderland Echo)
Waiting for Ozan Tufan to step up and take the penalty, Rosenior looks like he can barely watch. Everything is out of his hands now and he knows it. He is no different to the fans in the stands or those watching at home and probably feels just as anxious as any of them.
If it goes in, it's a well earned point on the road and a potentially season defining result. If it misses, Rosenior finds himself firmly on the chopping block and the once safe Hull side are now amongst the relegation fodder. For Rosenior, the outcome of this spot kick stretches well beyond points on the table. It essentially decides whether he will remain in the dugout for the foreseeable future.
Looking to bookend the match following his opening goal, Tufan finally has the go ahead to take the penalty. Hearts are in mouths as the Turkish midfielder strikes the ball and Sunderland goalkeeper, Anthony Patterson dives in the same direction. Narrowly missing the ball, the outstretched arms of Patterson are not enough and the ball hits the back of the net virtually in unison with the final whistle.
The landscape on the touchline is like a renaissance painting. Rosenior and his Hull bench are ecstatic having snatched a point from a game that looked to be firmly out of their reach. The reaction from the Tigers shows that it means so much more than a league position; it is a statement, telling every doubting fan to trust the process and that whilst this season has fallen flat, the future is bright for a Hull side just getting started.
Across the touchline, the Sunderland bench echoes the disappointment of the near forty thousand spectators around them. It's a cocktail of misery and disbelief as the Sunderland players slump towards the pitch dwelling on the two points they feel they've lost. For Mowbray in the dugout, his emotionless face is unchanged. Sunderland now find themselves firmly adrift from playoff contention and in a race against time to make the most out of on loan stars destined for Premiership football.
As the home team start to make their way off the pitch, Rosenior follows behind his Hull players as they go over to clap the some two thousand travelling fans. It's moments like this that sets Rosenior apart from the rest. It's the genuine appreciation he has for the supporters; whether it's the applause when they chant his name or stopping to take photos and sign autographs, it's clear what this club means to Rosenior.
Ultimately, to lose Rosenior would be a disaster for Hull. Sure the latest stone faced mercenary or talent from abroad may earn you a couple of extra wins per season, but to lose the emotion that Rosenior brings you would lose the beating heart of the club.
And without the emotion, what's the point in football?
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