‘He got the minutes with Nigeria’ - Hull City coach thanks Chelle for helping Super Eagles stars regain fitness

Assistant coach Dean Holden, who stepped in for the suspended Sergej Jakirovic during Tuesday's Championship match against Leicester City, expressed his satisfaction with Semi Ajayi's return to action.

The defender has been out of action for two months after sustaining an injury before the October international break. 

Following his return, Hull's head coach Jakirovic had publicly urged Super Eagles manager Eric Chelle to utilise Ajayi, who was returning from an injury layoff. 

The club saw the qualifiers as a perfect opportunity for the centre-back to rebuild his match fitness ahead of some important games.

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Hull City coach happy with Ajayi’s fitness

Hull City's coaching staff has lauded the Nigerian national team for helping defender Semi Ajayi regain his form and sharpness by giving him crucial minutes during the recent 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Chelle followed the recommendation, bringing Ajayi on as a substitute against Lesotho and then handing him a start in the following match against Benin.

This international action proved beneficial, as Ajayi was subsequently named in Hull City's starting lineup against Leicester for the first time since the opening day of the season.

Speaking to Hull City's official media, Holden praised Ajayi's display and credited his time with the Super Eagles.

"Yes, again, I thought the timing of his tackling in the second half was excellent, especially when there was a lot of pressure coming on top of us," Holden stated.

"Semi can be very, very pleased, but we are glad he got the minutes with Nigeria, which has given him a little bit of his rhythm back. Whoever comes into the team at the moment is performing, and that's excellent for us."