Brown stays grounded as Tigers take flight

IT is a measure of the gloom which has enveloped Hull City for much of 2009 that even a rare victory on Saturday could not spark a smile from Phil Brown.

This was a rare highlight for the embattled City manager, as goals from Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Geovanni saw off Wigan and earned just a third league win in this calendar year.

But Brown, having become wearily accustomed to dealing with bad news, accepts scrutiny of his own position may not go away.

“It was vitally important we started this run of games with a win,” said Brown, whose side face Fulham, Portsmouth and Burnley when the league resumes in a fortnight.

“It gives you a bit of confidence to take into the next game – look forward to it rather than dreading it, which I think we have been.

“I think one or two have not been quite comfortable going across the white line.

“But does this take the pressure off? No, because there is still a long way to go.

“I understand the pressures of football, and management in general.

“We are under the spotlight but that is the deal, end of story.”

Brown could be given further reason for optimism ahead of the trip to Fulham on October 19 as record signing Jimmy Bullard begins his long-awaited comeback in a reserves game this week.

The former Fulham midfielder, who has been out since January, should join a side lifted by their first win in six weeks.

Vennegoor of Hesselink, having netted his first goal since joining the club as a free agent last month, feels the result should do the team wonders.

The Dutchman said: “It is always nice to score, of course, but I think the most important thing is the three points.

“The team performed really well and we can build from this with some really important games coming up in October. It is good for morale.

“We have an international break now but the players go away with the three points, a positive thing.

“You go away to your country, play over there and then come back in two weeks and build from where we left off. Hopefully we will get the same result again.”

Brown gave his players a tough week in training after last week’s 6-1 thrashing at Liverpool.

As well as holding extra sessions and withdrawing some “privileges”, Brown tried some other ideas, which included taking his team for a walk across the Humber Bridge.

Those ideas appear to have paid off and Brown claims the bridge walk – also noted for the manager’s “sweet talk” in dissuading an apparently suicidal woman to jump – helped improve his own outlook.

“Maybe I had forgotten what I am in the game for,” he said. “I am in the game to have fun, to enjoy myself. Maybe I was getting too intense, too serious. Maybe I needed stepping away from it to a certain extent – no more so than walking across the bridge on a sunny day.”

REFEREE: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear) 6: Handled everything with calm efficiency.

MATCH RATING: *** Open and expansive although nerves took over in second half.