Hull duo to miss out
Posted Sunday, November 08, 2009 by PA
Geovanni and Boaz Myhill will miss Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash against Stoke at the KC Stadium.
Geovanni is suspended after his red card at Burnley last week while goalkeeper Myhill is still troubled by a knee injury.
Record signing Jimmy Bullard is included in the squad and could make his long-awaited home debut. The #5million midfielder has missed two games with a shin problem since returning from a nine-month knee injury lay-off.
Craig Fagan could be recalled after being overlooked for five games while Ian Ashbee (knee) is the club's only other significant absentee.
Boss Phil Brown's position has come under heavy scrutiny after a week of turmoil at the KC Stadium that has seen Adam Pearson installed as chairman for a second time.
Pearson has been brought in to try to turn the club around after losing its way both financially and on the field.
While debts mounted under the previous regime, form also deserted Brown's team and they could be bottom of the Barclays Premier League come kick-off against Stoke on Sunday.
It has been claimed that only a victory can save Brown's job but when asked if he was wearying of such suggestions, the man himself remained defiant.
Brown said: "I am not tired of hearing it - I am not aware of it. It is as simple as that.
"People are saying it's a must-win game but it's not a must-win game at all.
"As far as I am concerned, putting a performance in similar to the Burnley game will be sufficient to get the home crowd going.
"If we get that performance the results will follow. It is about putting our best foot forward in the first 5-10 minutes to get the crowd behind us."
Andy Wilkinson will be hoping to have done enough to keep Robert Huth out of the Stoke side.
Huth returns to the Potters squad after serving a three-match suspension, but Wilkinson has impressed at right-back in his place and manager Tony Pulis has a tough decision to make.
Mamady Sidibe has been struggling with a hamstring problem but could be in contention after taking part in training on Friday.
Salif Diao also trained with the squad but remains a doubt due to the calf injury that forced him to miss the match with Wolves last week, while Amdy Faye has a back problem and is unlikely to feature.
Stoke have picked up where they left off last season and currently lie ninth in the table after finishing an impressive 12th in their debut Premier League campaign.
It makes for a stark contrast to Hull, who were promoted from the Championship the same year as the Potters but narrowly avoided relegation last term and are now struggling in 19th position.
The Tigers have won only three times in the league in the whole of 2009 but Pulis is taking nothing for granted and refuses to look beyond the match on Sunday.
"We are hoping to go to Hull on Sunday, put a performance in and bring the three points back home on the bus," Pulis said.
"We are not even thinking about further down the line, the Hull game is difficult enough. We have to put all our energies and thoughts into that one game because we know how tough that will be."
It has been a turbulent time of late for Hull and Pulis is thankful for the stability he enjoys at the Britannia Stadium, where the sponsors today announced a new four-year extension to their shirt deal with the club.
"I can't talk about Hull, but I can say what a great job everybody at this football club has done - how supportive they have been on the terraces, right through to the board of directors," Pulis said.
"At the top of the club there is the chairman and then you look at the supporters that come in week in, week out.
"They have been together - everything has been united and that is why we have taken it on from last year. It's lovely to have stability.
"I'm very pleased and honoured to be the manager of Stoke City and all I care about is this football club.
"I eat, sleep and drink it and it doesn't really worry me what goes on at other football clubs."
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