Tim Walter issues passionate rallying cry to Hull City players as West Brom test looms

Tim Walter says his players are willing to step up to the fight in a bid to turn around their poor run of form and move away from the drop zone.

City was beaten 1-0 at Oxford United in midweek and, following the rest of the Championship's returns 24 hours later, found themselves level on points with the bottom three, only outside on goal difference, while West Bromwich Albion drew for the sixth successive game at home to Burnley on Thursday evening.

It's now six games without a win for Walter's side and they face the Baggies on Sunday afternoon looking to ease some of the pressure which has been building on the German head coach in recent weeks, while the Tigers have won just once at home in their six outings so far.

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"You have to fight against it; that's what we are trying to do, and the boys are willing to do it. That's, for me, the most important thing," the beleaguered boss told Hull Live. "If you look up, and I'm always looking up at the table, it's the same distance as before, so you can turn it like you want to turn. It's the same, but it's not our ambition."

City's struggles in the opening 14 games are a far cry from the feeling of positivity last season, which saw City push for a place inside the top six and ultimately go agonisingly close before missing out to Sunday's opponents, Albion.

Walter says fans must realise the squad is not at the same level as last season, which saw Liam Rosenior able to call upon the likes of Jacob Greaves, Jean Michael Seri, Tyler Morton, Jaden Philogene, Liam Delap and Fabio Carvalho. Alhough he believes his current squad can reach that level, he believes it will take time.

"Maybe we are not as far as the team was last year because you had players like Philogene, Greaves, Delap, and Carvalho," he said. "They're all playing now in the Premier League. We have good potential players but they need time and they need time to develop.

"I'm sure that we can bring them to the same level. You don't have it anymore like you had before, and so you have to work and you have to bring them to the point. If you look backwards, it's not a good sign. You have always to look forward, and that's what we're trying to do, especially for the weekend, so we're looking forward."