Millwall, QPR and Sheffield Wednesday's Championship rivals sack manager

Queens Park Rangers and Millwall’s Championship rivals Hull City have sacked manager Tim Walter after 17 league games in charge and with the Tigers inside the Championship relegation zone.

Hull, who lost 2-0 at Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night, are just one point above QPR after they clinched an impressive 2-0 win at relegation rivals Cardiff City on Wednesday. The East Yorkshire club have lost eight of their 17 Championship outings this term although they have taken points off both Millwall and QPR. They secured a hard-fought 0-0 draw at the Den back in August before winning 3-1 at Loftus Road at the beginning of October.

Hull confirmed Walter’s departure in a short statement, which read: “Hull City can confirm we have parted company with head coach Tim Walter with immediate effect. Assistant head coaches Julian Hübner and Filip Tapalović have also left the club. First-team coach Andy Dawson will take interim charge while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a permanent successor. We would like to thank Tim, Julian and Filip for their efforts during their time at the MKM Stadium and wish them well for the future.”

Former Watford, Fulham and Sheffield United manager Slavisa Jokanovic is among the early contenders to take over while recently-sacked Coventry City boss Mark Robins is also said to be in the frame. Coventry confirmed Robins’ replacement on Thursday as Frank Lampard was appointed at the club.

Speaking after what proved to be his final game in charge, Walter said his stint at Hull was the toughest of his managerial career. Following the defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, he said: “For sure – you are in a new country and then it’s really different. I never lost that many games. I can understand the frustration; I’m frustrated myself but I’m tough enough to fight my way back.

“We had the biggest chances in the game – (Xavier Simons) hit the post, Regan (Slater) hit the goalkeeper. And then it’s human because we knew this situation from the games before and heads went down, we got a penalty against us. They dropped back and then it’s hard to play against, you have to create and be more precise.”