Steve Bruce insists Hull City will be motivated by glory, rather than greed. PHOTO: AFP
LONDON: Steve Bruce insists Hull City will be motivated by glory, rather than greed, when they face Sheffield Wednesday for the lucrative prize of promotion to the Premier League in today’s Championship play-off final.
With television revenue for Premier League clubs due to increase next season, the winner of the second-tier showdown at Wembley will land a record cash windfall to go along with their place in the top flight. Wednesday would earn at least £170 million from promotion and that figure could rise to £290 million if they avoid relegation.
Hull can also expect a huge revenue boost if they triumph, although the value to them is less, at £110 million, as they will have to forgo parachute payments pending following their relegation from the Premier League last year.
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But Hull boss Bruce isn’t worried about trying to improve the club’s bank balance because he knows his players are solely focused on achieving a promotion that will allow them to be among the country’s best.
After the anguish of relegation 12 months ago, former Manchester United defender Bruce has led Hull to within one game of an instant return to the elite and he ranks today’s clash as one of the most important games of his illustrious career.
“This ranks up with the biggest for a long, long time because of what’s at stake,” said Bruce. “If you can get into the Premier League now, it can really secure your club with the amount of money which is washing about, it’s quite unbelievable.”
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Hull finished nine points above Wednesday in the Championship, but there was nothing to separate the Yorkshire rivals in their two draws this season.
Wednesday have been hitting the right notes in manager Carlos Carvalhal’s first season and midfielder Barry Bannan believes the club is heading in the right direction under their Thai owner Dejphon Chansiri.
“Hull will rightly go in as favourites because they finished above us in the league but we know what we’re capable of,” said Bannan. “If we do what we know we can do, then hopefully a result will be ours.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 28th, 2016.
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