Source: SKY_Sports
Kilbane eyes big future
Kevin Kilbane believes Hull City can move on from their Premier League survival to become a household name in the top flight.
The Tigers escaped relegation on the final day of the campaign in their debut season as a top flight outfit despite a final day defeat to Manchester United.
After an amazing start, with wins away to Arsenal and Tottenham amongst their exploits, Hull went into freefall in the second half of the season, narrowly escaping the drop at the expense of Newcastle.
Their 'Jekyll and Hyde' like season will be one to forget for Kilbane, who joined the club in January when form first began to drop, but he insists the players can learn from the experience.
"All you can do is look to improve year on year because the Premier League is a massive slog," Kilbane told the Hull Daily Mail.
"Outside the top five or six clubs, any number of 14 teams can be in the relegation zone.
"That's how tight it is in the Premier League and if you're not careful you can be caught out very easily.
"We've got to try and progress now and look to bring new players in that will make us improve. Who knows what can happen then?"
Kilbane was keen to highlight the success of his former club Wigan as inspiration for his ambitions at his latest club.
Wigan have established themselves as top flight regulars since Paul Jewell got them promoted in 2005, an achievement that Kilbane is no doubt proud to have been a part of.
"Certainly this season, Wigan got to that 40-point mark with eight or nine games to spare," he said.
"They didn't enjoy the best of results over the last couple of months but since [Steve] Bruce took over, they've done well.
"We have to look at clubs like Wigan and think if they've managed to do it, why can't we?
He added: "We have to look forward now. We'll strengthen in the summer - that goes without saying.
"We've done well to stay up and to do that in your first year is massive, but I believe we will kick on and become a strong Premier League outfit."
