Glaring Hull City issue has had a detrimental impact on their Championship season

To most observers, Hull City look like a side destined for a relegation battle, if the opening 16 games are anything to go by, and that's a major concern.

There are no shortage of reasons why the Tigers find themselves 22nd in the Championship with just 15 points from their opening bout of games: a change in playing style under the new manager, a frenetic late recruitment drive and a lack of clinical striker coupled with a host of injuries to potential match-winning players.

One key problem City have right now is a lack of confidence, especially in the top third of the pitch were games are ultimately won and lost.

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Saturday's 1-0 reverse at fellow strugglers Luton Town typified how the past few weeks have played out, with City performing well enough in patches. But being unable to turn dominance of the ball into goals, while shipping their customary one at the other end.

Confidence can come from within, from playing well and winning games of football, something that has not been readily available at City so far. However, it also comes from the manager who should be the standard bearer of filling players with confidence and self-belief.

Tim Walter's touchline antics have often been referenced by fans and former players. In a recent home game, skipper Lewie Coyle raced from right to left, in front of Walter and in trying to play a ball out to the left flank, ending up getting his compass slightly off and out of play it went. Walter, in abject frustration, thrust his arms in the air and turned away in disgust. A bit like when you take the kitchen knife off your toddler after he unwittingly picked it up off the side you didn't even realise you'd left it on in your dazed, and grotesquely tired state.

That's just one vivid example of the histrionics that can't be having a hugely favourable impact on his players, and then there's the very public criticism. In a recent press conference, Walter said he would never openly criticise his players in public, instead opting to make his feelings known behind closed doors.

Unfortunately for the German, that's not strictly true. Just in past couple of weeks alone, he's criticised Chris Bedia, Mason Burstow and Will Jarvis, while last Thursday, he half praised Charlie Hughes, before going on to explain that the young defender had been part of a six-game winless run since coming into the team.

Abu Kamara is another who looks utterly bereft of confidence just at the moment. There's clearly a player in there, and at Kenilworth Road, he showed so much promise. Four minutes in, the winger was racing past Reece Burke and into the box, only to fluff the final ball. That happened again in the second half, and we saw it recently at Derby County when he burst in the penalty area before blazing over the bar.

Kamara needs an arm around his shoulder, maybe a cuddle or two, and his spirits lifting somewhat, a bit like Jarvis, who continues to be something of an enigma at City. Not every player needs that level of support, because each one is different and responds to different methods, but they need guidance, they need belief and trust.

Last season at Portsmouth, Kamara was bursting down the right flank (he's being played on the left currently) and firing shots into the top corner, or picking out crosses for his Pompey teammates to score, this term, he's picking out the opposition players, or fans. He needs confidence, not criticism, or being hauled off at half-time on his debut and being publicly hung out to dry.

Can Chris Bedia play to his full potential if he's only being given a few minutes here and there, and then when he misses a chance, gets chastised in public? There will be some who will praise Walter for being forthright and telling it as it is. But there's a line and a balance to be struck, and at the moment, it feels if the Tigers boss is not finding it, and therefore, not getting the best out of his players.

Regan Slater is another who has plenty of talent and can make a real difference to City's team, but his comments a few weeks ago about the manager's approach only raise further questions about his man-management techniques, and if he's really capable of getting the best out of a group that has talent and promise.

City's players need to be filled with confidence, to be told how good they can be and not having their mistakes highlighted continually, or their manager make his feelings plainly obvious on the touchline during a game. Walter's a passionate, expressive guy. Portrayed in the right way, that can be an extremely positive trait and characteristic, but just at the moment, it feels like it's having the adverse effect and therefore, to the team's detriment.