Hull FC interim head coach Andy Last has said that he absolutely understands fan anger with the Black and Whites having lost eight of their last nine games.
Despite winning their first game under Andy Last, and winning convincingly at that as they scored 50, FC have only beaten Huddersfield since and they’ve failed to score more than 16 points in all eight defeats.
It’s understandably led to frustration from the fans, who to their credit have still turned up at home and away in large numbers, and when speaking to BBC Radio Humberside on Thursday, Last admitted that he did understand that anger.
“Of course you can,” he responded when asked if he got why fans were so angry,
“Winning solves everything. You get some wins and it can paper over cracks but we can’t defend ourselves on performing as we are and losing games.
“It’s far easier doing these interviews when you’ve sat and you’ve won a game and we need to start winning some games because the noise goes away when you’re winning.
“I can certainly understand the supporters’ anger and frustration because we’re not playing well enough and we’re not winning games.”
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He also accepted all responsibility for the poor run of form, insisting that he’s the man who must cop it.
“It is me (that’s responsible). I have to front this,” Last said.
“I’m the one who goes out there and obviously puts the team on the pitch and comes up with the team selections.
“I’m big enough to accept that the performances and results haven’t been good enough. The players are aware that there’s some things that they certainly need to do better but that’s what comes with the territory of being the head coach at this moment in time.”
Last, who was speaking the day after England’s World Cup semi-final defeat, also made reference to the fact that fans have turned on manager Thomas Tuchel, something he said was a reflection of coaching in any elite sport.
“When the players perform well and we win games, they get the plaudits and when the team doesn’t play well and you lose, your coach cops it,” he said.
“We’re sitting here after watching obviously England, the players are getting applauded for getting them to the semi-final and poor old Thomas Tuchel is copping the bashing for losing the semi-final so that just comes with the territory of being the coach and I understand that and I can accept it.”
