Billy Davies insists he is not worrying about the impact any boardroom changes at Derby County could have on his job.
The Rams are seeking new investment and reports suggest former Hull City owner Adam Pearson is ready to plunge his money into the club.
It has led to suggestions that Davies' post could be under threat, particularly with Derby second bottom in the Premier League.
But Davies, who led The Rams to promotion in his first season at Pride Park, insists he is not fretting about his future.
"What has happened to Sammy Lee and Martin Jol has surprised me and it has been wrong in my humble opinion," Davies told reporters.
"But I don't think about whether I will get time to do what I want at Derby County. I don't care about that. I work very hard. I spend the money the board gives me and they make other decisions outside that. The board will decide whether they want a certain type of manager. I am not going to sit and worry about that. If and when the board decides it is time for a change and they want someone who is 5ft 7in, and I am only 5ft 6in, then that is their prerogative. I am under no illusions about how football works. People have their expectations. Everyone within the football club knows finishing 17th is our ambition. Anyone who expects better than that is living in fantasy land."
22 October 2007
Hull will hand late fitness tests to Jay Jay Okocha and Caleb Folan before naming their side to take on Barnsley tonight.
Okocha is still struggling with a stomach injury while Folan has suffered a slight setback with his foot problem and could be forced to miss out.
Henrik Pedersen (knee) and captain Ian Ashbee (suspension) are definitely out as boss Phil Brown targets three points following the defeat at Watford on Saturday.
"Our run of form is simply not good enough at all," Brown said. "With the squad we have, it's not acceptable. Words have been said in the changing room after the game and we've got the opportunity to put it right in a Yorkshire derby. It's vital we take points from every game and we can't keep on saying and doing the same things. It's a very big game tonight but then every game is a big one."
21 October 2007
Watford manager Adrian Boothroyd rubbished talk of him taking up the managerial reins at Bolton Wanderers, after seeing the Hornets edge out Hull city 1-0.
A Marlon King goal took Watford six points clear at the top of the Championship table, with Boothroyd insisting he is fully focused on gaining promotion.
He said: "I've had no contact with Bolton, it is purely rumours. It's lovely to be linked because it means that we're doing well, but loyalty works two ways. I'm still doing an apprenticeship here and I'm happy at Watford and want to stay here until they kick me out. I have people who have signed contracts here after I've brought them to the club and if I expect them to honour those contracts, then I will honour mine."
18 October 2007
Phil Brown has ruled himself out of the running to take charge at Bolton.
The Hull City boss previously enjoyed a very successful tenure as assistant manager at The Reebok Stadium, after also playing for The Trotters for six years.
However, despite being named amongst the favourites - Brown has been quick to deny any interest in a move back to the club.
"It's perhaps inevitable to be linked, but I am very happy with the job I'm doing here," he said.
"It's flattering to say the very least. It's always nice to get linked with another job, let alone a Premier League job, but I have a massive job on my hands at Hull City now."
16 October 2007
Ex-Leeds United and Sunderland hitman Michael Bridges has agreed to move to Sydney FC.
The 29 year-old Hull City striker was due to join former club Carlisle United but changed his mind after talking to Sunderland's Sydney old boy Dwight Yorke.
"I've spoken to Dwight Yorke about life there and he said I won't want to come back after sampling the lifestyle," Bridges told the UK's Sunderland Echo.
"I was all set to rejoin Carlisle, but the manager said he needed to take a closer look at the players already there before making his mind up. With Sydney waiting for an answer, I couldn't afford to wait."
According to reports, Bridges will spend six-months with the 2006 A-League champions.
"This is a big adventure and playing with someone like Juninho will be fantastic. My wife Kate and the twins will join me in Sydney in a few weeks and we're looking forward to spending Christmas on the beach!"
Bridges still wants to play in England again however."I plan to come back. English football hasn't seen the last of me," he said.
14 October 2007
Chelsea's Scott Sinclair is among a group of three players to be sent home from England Under-19s duty in Yorkshire after breaking a curfew imposed by coach Brian Eastick.
Sinclair, Blues team-mate Ryan Bertrand - who is currently on loan at Oldham - and Andy Carroll, a Newcastle player presently on a short stint at Preston, have all returned to their clubs after being ordered out on England's training base in Leeds.
While the Football Association are anxious to stress the trio's misdemeanour did not go beyond breaking Eastick's curfew, the breach of conduct was enough to see them sent home ahead of this afternoon's encounter with Romania in Scunthorpe, when victory will see England in the elite European Championship qualifying stage.
"I have found it necessary to send three players home for breaking our code of conduct," said Eastick.
"All the appropriate people have been informed and there will be no further comment at this time."
Sinclair scored his first senior goal for Chelsea in last month's Carling Cup win over Hull and is seen as a bright prospect for the future, while Bertrand and Carroll have both been first-team regulars for their new clubs this term. Sinclair and Carroll were on target in Friday's 5-1 win over Iceland.
12 October 2007
Hull City striker Michael Bridges is poised to turn his back on English football and move Down Under.
Bridges is set to complete a loan move to Australian side Sydney FC with a view to making the deal permanent.
The Aussie outfit are willing to pay him £5,000 a week until the end of the season.
08 October 2007
Phil Brown admits he has stepped up his search for a new striker, with the manager frustrated by Hull's struggles in front of goal.
The Tigers' 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park has led to the sacking of former boss Peter Taylor, but Brown came away from the game wondering how Hull had not collected the three points.
Brown told the Hull Daily Mail: "I'm always on the look-out to try and improve and what we really need to improve on is the final third quality. The mentality can always improve and we'll keep looking. We will bring someone in or two in if we think it will improve us."
Record signing Caleb Folan is expected to be fully fit for City's next outing, after the international break, at table-topping Watford.
08 October 2007
Peter Taylor was fired as Crystal Palace manager Monday after the London club's poor start to the League Championship season.
Palace drew 1-1 with Hull on Saturday and is in 19th place with 10 points from 10 games.
"Crystal Palace Football Club announce that Peter Taylor's contract has been terminated with immediate effect," the club said on its Web site.
Taylor, 54, took over after Iain Dowie left in June 2006, but the club did not challenge for promotion to the Premier League last season, finishing 12th. Palace was relegated from the Premier League in 2005.
Taylor previously coached at lower league clubs Hull, Brighton, Leicester, Gillingham and Southend.
He made four England appearances as a midfielder, twice managed the country's under-21 team and was caretaker manager for the senior team for one match in 2000, when he gave David Beckham the captaincy for the first time.
Palace chairman Simon Jordan now has the two-week international break to find a replacement for Taylor, who is the seventh manager to leave Selhurst Park in seven years.
Former Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock has been linked with the Palace job.
05 October 2007
Charlton manager Alan Pardew will be forced to make at least one change to his starting line-up for the visit of Barnsley.
The Addicks' appeal against Lloyd Sam's sending-off during Tuesday's 2-1 win at Hull was turned down by the FA, so the young winger starts a three-match ban.
Pardew has named the same starting XI for the past four Championship games but must now find a replacement on the right flank.
Darren Ambrose would be an obvious candidate, but he pulled a hamstring during the recent Carling Cup clash at Luton and remains doubtful so Jerome Thomas, who has been out in the cold of late, could be recalled.
Elsewhere, Ben Thatcher (knee) is still struggling so Chris Powell will continue at left-back, while fit-again Yassin Moutaouakil (ankle) will once again challenge Danny Mills for the right-back berth.
Svetoslav Todorov is pushing for a start ahead of Luke Varney and Chris Iwelumo in attack.
Barnsley boss Simon Davey is expected to name an unchanged side as the Tykes look to extend their five-match unbeaten run.
Davey has no new injury or suspension problems to contend with and is unlikely to change a winning line-up following the comprehensive midweek victory over previously unbeaten Bristol City.
Hungarian striker Istvan Ferenczi remains sidelined due to the ankle injury he sustained in last Saturday's home draw with Cardiff, so Davey must choose between Peruvian Miguel Mostto or Dane Kim Christensen again to partner Kayode Odejayi.
Rob Kozluk will be hoping for a recall at full-back after recently losing his place to fit-again Dominik Werling and Martin Devaney could play a more prominent role after stepping off the bench to score a late goal on Tuesday.
