Merson slams Hull for shunning British manager

Paul Merson has questioned Hull City replacing the sacked Mike Phelan with a foreign manager, bemoaning the lack of chances English managers are afforded in the Premier League.

Former Manchester United coach Phelan was sacked last week following a row over investment in the club's first-team squad during the January transfer window, having overseen just one league win since being appointed on a permanent basis in October.

Hull City moved quickly to appoint relative unknown Marco Silva, who has impressed at Estoril and Sporting in his native Portugal before moving to Olympiacos, winning titles and a cup competition across all three positions.

Merson believes the vacancy Silva filled could have gone to an English counterpart, with Paul Clement's recent appointment at Swansea City bringing the total to three in the Premier League.

“I could win the league with Olympiakos," Merson, whose sole managerial role was with Walsall between 2004 and 2006, ranted on Sky Sports. "They’ve won it 107 times and it’s only been going 106 years.

"Why does it always have to be a foreign manager - I've got nothing against them, Klopp, Guardiola and Conte, they are all top managers.

"Why is this geezer any different to Gary Rowett? Footballers spend four years doing their badges, spending a fortune and nobody gets a chance to manage at the top level.

"This is a good job. Hull are a good team, great stadium, some very good players.

"What's [Silva] know about the Premier League? What’s he know?"

Fellow pundit Phil Thompson added: "He's not got a clue ... It's another slap in the face to all our British coaches and managers, it's embarrassing."

Silva, who has signed a contract until the end of the season, began his KC Stadium tenure with a 2-0 win over fellow Premier League strugglers Swansea City in the FA Cup third round.