Finding the right words under pressure is hard, even for managers who do it every week. PMR tracks how well they manage it in the minutes after a match.
I learned how much those words matter in places where lives were on the line. One of those moments came down to three seconds. I’ll tell you about it at the end.
Every post-match interview Sergej Jakirović has given in Premier Managers Revealed 2026/27, collected in one place: the quotes, the score out of 12, the Identity level and the analysis, matchweek by matchweek. For the latest standings, see the Premier Managers Revealed league tables.
Matchweek 1
Hull City 2 – 0 Manchester United
Saturday 22 August, MKM Stadium
Sergej Jakirović — Hull City (home)
11/12 · Identity level fed: Belonging & Esteem
“We are one year together, we had three new guys and, all together, they looked like a team there and in the end we succeeded.”
“We had a lot of problems because we made four substitutions in our defensive line, which is unusual. You have to play, you have to fight and maybe now we need more players.”
“This is football. We are professionals. We are trying to prove people wrong. I know there are 37 games to go, but this is a good base for the future.”
“The players stick to a tactical plan, we suffer because we play against Manchester United but we punished the opponent.”
Jakirović had just beaten Manchester United and he talked mostly about the group. A year together, three new signings, and a side that looked like a team. He is specific about the difficulty too, naming four changes in the defensive line and saying plainly that Hull may need more players. He credits the plan and the discipline to stick to it. The one thing holding his score down is direction. Proving people wrong is Away From language, and it points at the doubters rather than at anything Hull are building.
Source: Jakirović speaking to TNT Sports post-match, via Yahoo Sports/BBC — sports.yahoo.com and Goal.com — goal.com
Matchweek 2
Coventry City 0 – 1 Hull City
Saturday 29 August, CBS Arena
Sergej Jakirović – Hull City (away)
11/12 · Identity level fed: Capability & Purpose
The team played a good game. They tried to overload our right side. Some changes at half-time, we had some good counter-attacks. We needed better decisions.
Second half, a lot of crosses came into our box and we controlled everything there. In the end I’m very pleased. Two games, six points – not bad. As their home game they tried to put some more risk on the pitch.
Frank tried with the subs. At half-time we had problems [with fitness and injury]. We knew they would put more and more risk and there would be big space behind the back and we used that. He also struggled with some moments because he didn’t pass all of pre-season.
He played good. He’s a good young player and we can improve him. It’s great experience for him. We will grow every game.
It’s a new experience for us, even for me. We will try to improve some things and maybe play even better.
Jakirović enjoys six points without making them sound final. He explains the half-time changes, the space Coventry left and the way Hull controlled the crosses into their box. He gives a young player room to improve after a disrupted pre-season and says the whole team will grow with every game. The adversity framing is lighter than the rest of the answer, while the direction and collective belief are clear.
Source: BBC Sport post-match interview, via Yahoo Sports, source page
Matchweek 3
Hull City 0–0 Aston Villa
MKM Stadium
Sergej Jakirović (Hull City)
Source: BBC Match of the Day, “What Jakirovic said”; Hull Daily Mail
Q: On the result?
I’m realistic. I think this is a realistic result. We gave everything we had. They had two clear chances, we also could win the game at the end. I won’t be ungrateful, this is a great result for us. Seven points, three games. Clean sheet. Let’s move on.
Q: On balancing new signings?
I know the core of my team, this is the Championship players. Of course, we brought the players in to put some quality there. We have. The big problem for me is who didn’t have a pre-season. This is a very big problem. But we will try. For example, on Tuesday, we will use that to give minutes and at the end, they will get a new chance.
Q: On Oli McBurnie’s late chance?
Maybe fatigue, because it’s a great effort from Oli. It is very demanding because we were out of possession which is very normal. Aston Villa is a good team, they need more time with their new players. Same with Ali-Cho. I don’t know how many meters, if he shoots one metre around the goalkeeper. He has a chance. But we will not be ungrateful, we will be looking forward.
Q: Champions League places, given seven points from three?
Maybe expect to fight for a Champions League place? No, of course it is early. Our goal is to as soon as possible, collect the points. I think around 38/40 points, so as soon as possible to get these points.
Q: Is defence the key to staying up?
In my opinion, defence wins titles and of course, our title is to stay in the league. 100 per cent. You will always create some chances. Even today, from 70 minutes to the 85th minute, we sat back waiting for our opportunity and in the end we had two excellent chances. I am aware of what we can do and how we can play. It’s a great recipe for us but also we can try and improve and we have plan B always.
11/12 · Identity level fed: Safety & Capability
Jakirović treats the point as valuable evidence: seven points from three games, a clean sheet and two late chances against a strong opponent. He sets a realistic survival Outcome, backs the existing core and gives underprepared players a route to minutes. The focus on 38 to 40 points is worth watching as the season develops. It is sensible now, although reaching it early could create a sense that the job is done when more may still be available. At this stage, the dominant message is practical confidence.
Matchweek 4
Chelsea 2–2 Hull City
Sergej Jakirović, Hull City: 12/12
“We showed great mentality, we continued to play.”
Jakirović keeps the difficult opening in perspective by explaining how Hull responded. They competed for duels and second balls, stayed compact and kept playing with courage. He credits the players’ own qualities for the comeback.
He also gives them details to build on, including better control of the ball and the work needed for the next match. His encouragement to individual players is tied to qualities he has seen in them. Hull leave with a clear picture of the strengths that helped them recover and the football they can improve.
Breakdown: Towards 2 · SQAs 2 · Adversity 2 · Identity 2 · Path 2 · Draw Leadership 2
Source: post-match press conference
Matchweek 5
Newcastle United 2–1 Hull City
Sergej Jakirović, Hull City: 12/12
“At least we showed better face second half, and I’m very proud on the lads. We had a lot of chances second half, we didn’t put in the net, and congratulations to Newcastle on the victory.”
“We did everything what we shouldn’t in the first half. We didn’t defend good these spaces between defence line and midfielders, and of course Newcastle has quality, they will use this, and good for them.”
“I’m very pleased because it will show that we can compete at this level. Even on this demanding away game, we can push you. It’s not easy to come here to play.”
“We will rest now good. We have a lot of international players. I hope they will come back healthy, and then we have two weeks to prepare everything for next five games.”
Jakirović separates the poor opening from a much better second half. The mistakes are specific: pocket control, the route around the press and decisions in possession. They remain learnable parts of one match.
His strongest Identity message is that Hull can compete at this level, even in a demanding away game. He credits Newcastle, keeps the first-half mistakes Narrow and shows the players what their second-half response says about them. Rest and two weeks of preparation create a useful path. Inspiring players after defeat is harder than doing it after a win, and this is exemplary Good Loser* language.
Breakdown: Towards 2 · SQAs 2 · Adversity 2 · Identity 2 · Path 2 · Good Loser* 2
Source: BBC Sport post-match interview.
Matchweek 6
Hull City 2–2 Everton
Sunday 11 October 2026, MKM Stadium, Hull.
Sergej Jakirović, Hull City: 9/12
Identity level: Belonging and Esteem.
I think this is a fair result. We used one of their mistakes, we scored the goal, but unfortunately we gave them two goals. Then we showed a strong mentality because we played more with risk, we were more happy with the ball. We created a good chance for Nobel (Mendy). I was not happy, especially in the first half, with some counter-attacks because we (should have made) better decisions. We were scrappy on the ball. But this is a player’s decision, you cannot change anything.
Hull came from 2-1 down against a side that hasn’t lost all season, and Jakirović calls it a fair result. That’s an honest way to describe a draw and it’s where his Result leadership mark comes from. He’s got a strength to point at too, a strong mentality, and the comeback proves it. Then comes the line that costs him. This is a player’s decision, you cannot change anything arrives right after the mistakes he’s just listed, and it tells the room that nobody could have done anything about them. Nothing in the answer says what Hull work on this week.
Breakdown: Towards 1 · SQAs 2 · Adversity 1 · Identity 2 · Path 1 · Draw Leadership 2 · 9/12
Source: The Yorkshire Post.
Matchweek 7
Fulham 1 – 0 Hull City
Saturday 17 October 2026, 3pm, Craven Cottage.
Sergej Jakirović, Hull City
2/12. Identity level: None reached.
“I told this guy that it was the worst performance since I’ve been here.”
“They were much, much better than us and congratulations to them. They played an excellent game. We were very, very poor. We collapsed together.”
“They must take it because if you are realistic, if you will watch the game again and again, and they will watch, you will see how poor you are.”
“It’s easy to analyse this game; we were out of everything.”
“Fulham were much better than us in any terms, in and out of possession, first and second balls, duels. It was men against boys. We didn’t show anything today. But we cannot change anything now.”
“The performances of Fulham have been good; they should have more points. We knew it would be tough today. We were completely out of it today.”
“It was very frustrating, maybe we had some situations around the box but made wrong decisions. They were much more aggressive than us and could have scored more.”
“In the second half, we showed some reactions, we changed the system, but again, in the last third, nothing. We didn’t have even a shot on target, so it’s a pretty bad day for us.”
“We were so far off from everything. I can say 1-0 is a good result for us. It was a very tough game for us at every moment. They ate us alive.”
Jakirović is honest and generous to Fulham, and his players get nothing to stand on. Men against boys, we were very, very poor, we didn’t show anything today: the problem is them, it’s broad, and nothing in the answer says it passes. That’s the Elevate Formula reversed. We cannot change anything now closes the door on a next step, and watching the game again until you see how poor you are is retrospective, so Path is 0. He keeps a mark for Identity because we collapsed together is a genuine collective and he puts himself inside it, and a mark for taking the result without excuses.
Sources: Sky Sports, beIN Sports and AAP, via The Canberra Times.
Matchweek 8
Hull City 1 – 1 Brentford
Sunday 25 October 2026, 2.00pm, MKM Stadium.
Sergej Jakirović, Hull City
Score: 10/12. Identity level: Belonging and Esteem.
Yes, of course. Especially first half, I think that we played very, very good. Tactically, we were almost excellent. We took a lot of first and second balls from high press. In this situation, we earned penalty. We scored 1-0. They didn’t create anything. dangerous just from counter-attacks when we lost cheap balls or bad pass or bad receiving
and then second half maybe at one point we lost control in the game, they were much more on possession. But also this goal is a little bit unlucky because balls flicks from jars, but what we can do on the end, I think that had a good very good chances through Ali Cho and Gelfart but on the end it’s a fair result
Yes, no I don’t have any worries about Oli Oli he’s a very good player our leader he’s doing a lot of job on on the pitch and the team we have to create a chance for him and then everything will be much more easier
it’s very important it’s very important that the teams they know the opponent it’s very difficult to play here we are also I can say better at home because we are much more brave on the ball and in the challenges and especially every point for us it’s very very important
Of course, we know our target and this is step by step but also So we are trying to improve every game, every game is a big experience for us and for me I’m very happy because we showed already that we can compete on this level.
Jakirović builds the home record into who Hull are. They are better at home because they are braver on the ball and in the challenges. That is a strength the players own and can repeat. McBurnie is their leader and does a lot of work, and the team’s job is to create chances for him. The second-half dip is owned, because they lost control and gave away cheap balls, and the equaliser came off a flick, so chance and ownership sit together and the result is called fair. Towards is where he loses a mark. The target is never named, and he accepts the interviewer’s line about proving people wrong, and that is Away From.
Source: BBC Sport match report.
Matchweek 9
Hull City 2 – 2 Ipswich Town
Saturday 31 October 2026, 3.00pm, MKM Stadium, Hull.
Sergej Jakirović, Hull City
Score: 9/12. Identity level: Esteem & Capability.
Sergej, the first half, we didn’t see that performance coming from your side, but a good turnaround and still unbeaten here at home.
I think this is also the quality of the opponent, how they use the space, the pockets between our lines. We sit down too much, we didn’t jump out in the pockets, and Oli, for example, had always a 3v1 situation. They locked our wing-backs with their winger, so they overload us in the midfield, and that was the biggest problem. I can say the first 30 minutes. Then we tried with Ige to put him in the third midfielder. Then we showed a little bit more, but that was not so good. At half-time we changed, I think, completely momentum and we changed the system and put Crooks inside. We started to be much more aggressive, much more front-footed as a group. We tried to press the ball, push the players in front, and we turned around this 2-1. And then again, I think Enciso scored an excellent goal, but we could stop this. We could stop this. This is a cheap goal because we had two times, I think, ball in our possession, so you cannot lose like this, so easy ball in front of an 18-yard box.
You did have chances before Tim Iroegbunam equalised, but it’s that football classic case of once you got a goal, that belief was running through your team, and it’s a shame you didn’t show that earlier on, I guess.
Yes, and also we showed a great mentality so that we couldn’t play so bad in the first half-time. But like I said, this is opponent quality and this is great action, this first goal equaliser. From Lewie to Oli McBurnie, one touch in space for Tim, and Tim’s run was excellent. And he stayed, he stood calm in this position and scored 1-1. Then Oli McBurnie, second one, and then maybe we could control much better this last 20 minutes, I think.
People in the media will talk about it still not being a win, but how much credit do you take from the fact you didn’t lose it, and your side still being very tough to beat irrespective of who you’re playing?
If you cannot win, don’t lose, of course, especially after the first half-time. After the first half we improved a lot, our performance. I can say like this: they were much better first half, we were much better second half. But in the end I cannot say we deserve to win. Ipswich also had some chances there, so in the end it’s a fair result. But I’m waiting this now, I’m waiting this win almost two months, which is unbelievable. But still it’s positive, so move on. Let’s move on.
Seven games without a win and Jakirović is specific about what went wrong. They sat too deep, didn’t jump out into the pockets, and got overloaded in midfield once the wing-backs were pinned. Then the half-time change, an extra midfielder, more aggression, more pressing. That is good Towards language. After a run like Hull’s he is still telling his players what he wants them doing rather than what he is worried about.
What it isn’t is the Elevate Formula. The thing that changed was his own tactical decision, not any quality he says his players have, so the problem being over by half-time is to his credit rather than to theirs. The SQAs are in there but only by implication: a great mentality, Tim Iroegbunam’s run and the calmness in front of the keeper, McBurnie’s second. If you cannot win, don’t lose is the one line pointed the wrong way, because a side two months without a win is handed something to avoid rather than something to go after.
Source: Sky Sports.
What links this league table to a life-or-death negotiation?
A young mother. Her children asleep in the back of the car. A hosepipe connected to the exhaust. A police negotiator with three seconds to find the words that might save their lives.
That call is where The 7 Skills to impress™ began.
When I listen to a manager after a match, I listen for the message beneath the words. A manager can be talking about a win or a loss, but the way they frame it can lift or chip away at a player’s belief before anyone even realises it.
Read Three Seconds to Save Their Lives: Jacqui’s Story and find out what he said.