Flying Tigers - Jakirovic Claims Hull City's Playoff Final as His Greatest Football Experience

'The Best Thing I've Ever Experienced'

Sergej Jakirovic has claimed that taking Hull City to the Sky Bet Championship play-off final is amongst the very best experiences he has had during his time in the game, and has stated that leading the Tigers out at Wembley will be a "dream come true", when speaking to Sky Sports last night.

Hull City are the first play-off team to make it to Wembley. Who will join them? 👀🤔#Hull | #Playoffs | #EFL pic.twitter.com/SYJnMh05u0

— Football Park (@thefootballpark) May 12, 2026

After a bore draw first leg at the MKM stadium on the 8th of May, the 49-year-old manager led his side to a 2-0 win over Millwall at The Den thanks to strikes from Mohamed Belloumi and Joe Gelhardt. Thanks to the fantastic display and result, Hull City are now just one game away from reaching the Premier League once again, facing either Southampton or Middlesbrough at Wembley Stadium on the 23rd of May.

It is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the progression that Hull City have made in a short space of time - they survived relegation on goal difference just a little over a year ago, and have had to endure a transfer embargo over the previous two transfer windows.

Manager Jakirovic certainly agrees, and when speaking after the final whistle in London he put the achievement right near the top of his personal pile.

Jakirovic Full of Praise After Hull Ascension

The Bosnian manager had the highest of praise for his players and what they have achieved with this ascension to the playoff final, when speaking to journalists after their spot at Wembley was booked:

"Since day one, they have been a very nice group. Togetherness is very high. This embargo maybe even stuck us together even more.

"Also, (there is) chemistry between the players. Nobody is angry when he doesn't play so he must be ready.

"I am very proud of this group of players because they achieved something that was, at the beginning of this season, just a dream.

The absolute scenes when this went in 🫨#hcafc pic.twitter.com/u3MxzLczEZ

— Hull City (@HullCity) May 12, 2026

"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, so this is great award for them to go to Wembley. I never been to Wembley so this is also my dream come true.

"I had great success until now as a coach; won the championship [with Zrinjski Mostar and Dinamo Zagreb] and everything, but 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.

"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!"

Tigers Captain Highlights Hull Hustle: "Why Shouldn't It Be Us?

Tigers captain Lewie Coyle also spoke at the end of the game, and put an emphasis on the inner belief that the Hull City squad carried within themselves to firstly reach the playoffs, and then reach the flagship showdown at Wembley Stadium:

"Incredible. It's something we all believed we could do when we finalised that play-off spot on the last day in such dramatic fashion. We said why shouldn't it be us?

The Hull City away end goes MENTAL as Mohamed Belloumi might have just sent them to Wembley with a LOVELY finish… pic.twitter.com/c2Eb35KYEE https://t.co/IZr5vmgl9w

— george (@StokeyyG2) May 11, 2026

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.

"The game at home was a little bit cagey and then we've come here today and what a fantastic performance from the lads. So professional and just everything I know this team is about.

"It sums it up perfectly that we've put that performance in to cap off an unbelievable season. But we've got one more special game to go to achieve what everybody in that dressing room and at the club believes we can do."