Sergej Jakirovic has described guiding Hull City to the Championship play-off final as 'the best thing I've experienced in football.' The Tigers booked their place at Wembley with a 2-0 second-leg victory over Millwall at The Den, courtesy of goals from Mohamed Belloumi and Joe Gelhardt. The win sealed a 2-0 aggregate success after a goalless first leg at the MKM Stadium.
Jakirovic, 49, took over a Hull side that narrowly avoided relegation on goal difference last season and has operated under a transfer embargo for the past two windows. Despite those constraints, he has forged a team that defied expectations to finish in the top six. 'Since day one, they have been a very nice group. Togetherness is very high. This embargo maybe even stuck us together more,' he told Sky Sports after the match.
The Croatian coach admitted that at the start of the season, a top-10 finish felt like a realistic target. However, the team's progress exceeded all hopes. 'I was thinking, OK top 10 is our target, but when we started the season I was, in the first months, a little bit worried how we would look, but every game we were better and better. This is a great award for them to go to Wembley.'
Leading Hull out at the national stadium will also be a personal milestone. 'I never been to Wembley so this is also my dream come true,' Jakirovic said. He previously won league titles with Zrinjski Mostar and Dinamo Zagreb, but he rated this achievement above those successes. 'With the problems we had through all the season, with a lot of injuries, with this embargo, this is maybe the best thing that happened in football in my life.'
The play-off final, scheduled for Saturday, May 23, will see Hull face the winner of the other semi-final between Southampton and Middlesbrough. The prize is a place in the Premier League, a prospect that seemed improbable just months ago. Hull's captain, Lewie Coyle, echoed his manager's sentiments, praising the squad's belief and resilience.
Coyle told Sky Sports: 'We've grafted all year to put ourselves in this position and it wasn't a case of us just making up the play-offs; we fully believed going into the two legs against a very good Millwall side that we could come out on top.' He described the performance at The Den as 'so professional' and a perfect cap to an 'unbelievable season,' while stressing that 'one more special game' remains.
The turnaround is remarkable given the club's recent struggles. Hull survived relegation on goal difference in the 2024-25 season and entered this campaign under a transfer embargo that restricted their ability to strengthen. Jakirovic has relied on squad chemistry and tactical discipline to overcome these hurdles. The victory against Millwall showcased their defensive solidity and counter-attacking threat, with Belloumi's opener and Gelhardt's late strike sealing the win.
For Millwall, the defeat ends a promising season that saw them challenge for promotion. They pushed Hull hard in the first leg and had periods of pressure in the second leg, but could not find the net against a well-organized Tigers defense. Hull will now prepare for a final that promises to be a stern test against either a fellow Championship side or a Premier League hopeful.
The implications for Hull are immense. A win at Wembley would not only secure a return to the Premier League after a decade away but also provide financial stability and attract higher-caliber players. The club's fanbase, starved of top-flight football since 2015, is dreaming of a famous day out. Jakirovic's ability to unite the squad and extract maximum effort from limited resources has been the driving force behind this run.
As the countdown to May 23 begins, Jakirovic remains focused on the task ahead. 'It's a great feeling, an amazing feeling. We were fantastic today. All the players did a great job. It was very difficult, demanding because we knew they would start very strong, but we responded very well and we are going to Wembley!' His words capture the spirit of a team that has achieved the improbable.
Based on reporting from Sky Sports.