Slaven Bilic has emerged as the clear frontrunner for the Hull City job, with bookmakers placing the Croatian at 2/5 to replace Ruben Selles.
The 55-year-old has been out of work since August 2024, when he parted ways with Saudi Pro League side Al-Fateh. Prior to that, Bilic managed a range of clubs across Europe, the Middle East and Asia, including stints with West Ham, West Brom, Watford and Beijing Guoan.
Hull City owner Ilıcalı has made it clear that he wants the club to play attacking, entertaining football next season – and Bilic’s name ticks some of those boxes. At his best, Bilic has delivered high-intensity, front-foot football, most notably during West Ham’s 2015/16 Premier League campaign, which ended with a seventh-place finish.
His promotion-winning season with West Brom in 2019/20 also showcased a side that was comfortable on the ball and dangerous going forward, scoring 77 goals en route to a top-two finish in the Championship.
However, his more recent roles have raised questions. A short-lived spell at Watford in 2022 ended after just 26 games, while his time in Saudi Arabia and China offered mixed results. Whether those experiences have sharpened his tactical edge or dulled it is up for debate.
Still, in a managerial market short on obvious options, Bilic may be seen as a compromise between experience, attacking intent and media profile – all attributes that could appeal to Ilıcalı’s vision for the club.
Despite Bilić’s status as odds-on favourite, uncertainty remains. Ilıcalı recently claimed that one of the candidates under consideration was someone “we don’t know by name” – a cryptic remark that has yet to be explained, and which could point to an outside appointment or an unknown figure from abroad.
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