Hull City owner Acun Ilicali has fired back at pundits Joe Cole and Carlton Cole after the pair mocked his club's chances of surviving in the Premier League on a widely shared podcast.

Speaking on The Dressing Room podcast, former Chelsea and England midfielder Joe Cole admitted he had turned down the opportunity to appear as a pundit for Hull's opening match, adding that he would be "stunned if they stayed up." He also joked that the club had "come here through the back door" and "slipped in."

Hull earned their promotion to the Premier League with a dramatic last-minute victory over Middlesbrough in the play-off final at Wembley in May. It will be their first top-flight season since 2017 — a remarkable turnaround for a club that only avoided the drop from the Championship to League One on goal difference in 2025.

Taking to social media, Ilicali hit back with a pointed message. "It is disappointing to see my beautiful city criticised by people who should know better," he wrote. "As a club we are used to being underestimated and we enjoy it, and we enjoyed it more when we were promoted last season."

He added: "For me, seeing two ex-players making fun of a deservedly promoted club is more laughable than the things they were laughing at."

Jakirovic rallies the squad

Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic also addressed the controversy on Thursday, framing the criticism as extra motivation rather than a distraction. "It is a great motivation to prove them wrong, if it's possible," he said. "It will not be easy but at least we can fight there. We don't have anything to lose. You play for yourself, and you show your potential on the pitch."

Carlton Cole defends comments

Carlton Cole — who made seven England appearances during his career at clubs including Chelsea and West Ham — later posted a video in which he defended the podcast remarks, describing them as "banter" and insisting he "loved Hull City."

Hull have invested £70 million in new signings this summer as they prepare for their return to the top flight. They face Manchester United on Saturday in their first Premier League fixture of the season.