Hull 'bored' by Hunt rumours

Soccer: Hull City have again stressed that Republic of Ireland international Stephen Hunt is not for sale and declared themselves…

Soccer:Hull City have again stressed that Republic of Ireland international Stephen Hunt is not for sale and declared themselves "bored" with the ongoing speculation regarding the winger's future.

Wolves have already had two bids turned down by Hull with reports in the English press claiming the midlands club are prepared to increase their offer once more.

The continued rumours prompted Hull to release a statement earlier today in which they insist the player is going nowhere.

It read: “The club is now becoming bored of continual speculation within the local media surrounding his future and would like to place, on the record, that the player is not for sale.

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“The club will not be commenting any further on speculation in relation to this player. He is not for sale.”

Hunt has been a major success since his move from Reading last summer and Hull boss Phil Brown is adamant that the winger has an important role to play in the second half of the season.

Hunt, 28, has scored five goals for the struggling Tigers, including both strikes as Brown’s side battled back from 2-0 down to draw at relegation rivals Bolton last month.

“I think goals first and foremost have made him special this season,” said Brown. “But he is such a little character. He does things in the right way. He is a professional. What highlights Stephen Hunt for me is that he does things when nobody else is watching - professional things.

“He conducts himself in the right manner. When he crosses the white line, a full-back knows he will be up against it. He has got a tenacious attitude towards the game, not just towards wing play, but towards the game. For a little fella, he has got a big heart.

“Stephen has said himself that we are not a one-man team and I agree with that. You never are a one-man team, if you are, then you are in trouble. But where Stephen is concerned, he has been at the forefront of assists, the forefront of goals scored and at the forefront of everything we’ve done.

“We need five or six like that in the same side and before you know it, we have got a team.”

Brown wasn’t the only one waxing lyrical about Hunt, with the Wolves striker Kevin Doyle also a big fan.

“He’ll bring what we already have and add to it in the fact that we all work very hard for each other and he’s a player just like that,” said Doyle, a teammate of Hunt’s at Reading and in an Ireland shirt.

“He’ll put in — whether he’s playing well or not he’ll always put in. Maybe 110 per cent is not possible, but 100 per cent effort and he’s got quality to go with that and that’s all the things we’re looking for.”