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Marco Silva has already achieved his personal mission at Hull City - now he must complete the miracle and keep them up
Where there was division, Marco Silva brought unity. Where there was discord, he created harmony. Where there was disillusionment, he generated hope. Regardless of whether he keeps Hull City in the Premier League, the Portuguese has already exceeded expectations and boosted his own personal ambition.
Silva did not take the Hull job because he was confident he would save them from relegation. He took it because he wanted to prove himself in the Premier League, yet could still pull off the unthinkable and keep them up if his team win at Crystal Palace this weekend.
Silva spoke of needing a miracle when he replaced Mike Phelan in January as a young, extremely ambitious manager, desperate for a chance to showcase his talent in England.
Hull were in the bottom three, had won just one league game since August and were about to sell two of their best players in Robert Snodgrass and Jake Livermore. They would also lose their record signing, midfielder Ryan Mason, to a fractured skull shortly after.
The club was being torn apart by the conflict between supporters and the Allam family who own it. His first game, a 2-0 win over Swansea in the FA Cup was boycotted by supporters. They were a basket case, yet Silva has somehow succeeded in a challenge former manager Steve Bruce had walked away from in July and Phelan looked incapable of beating.
In many ways, Silva has already achieved what he set out to do. Nobody is now questioning why Hull gave him a chance and his reputation has soared. He got a foot in the door in England and has kicked it open.
Whatever happens against Palace on Sunday, Silva is no longer an unknown. Whatever happens to Hull, Silva’s name has been muttered in boardrooms up and down the country, with Southampton particularly keen if they choose to end Claude Puel's reign.
Already highly rated in Portugal and Greece, after spells at Sporting Lisbon and Olympiacos, he is now mentioned at some of the biggest clubs in Europe, with reports in Italy suggesting he is also of interest to Inter Milan.
Yet, it is England that he wants to call home. Few had heard of him when he arrived, but four months later, he is one of the most highly rated young managers in Europe. If Hull do topple from the top flight, Silva will not go with them, a relegation clause ensures that.
Even if they cling on to a place in the Premier League, Silva’s work means it is by no means certain he will stay. With admiration, come suitors and where there are suitors, there are normally tempting offers to consider.
The 39-year-old’s ambition should not be doubted. He will be grateful to Hull for the chance they gave him, but that does not mean he is betrothed to them. If he gets a better offer next month, he will be off.
For now, that nagging doubt can be buried long enough for Hull to make one final thrust for safety. A shock defeat to Sunderland last weekend, the first suffered at home since Silva took charge, means their fate is no longer in their own hands.
A win over Palace, though, would ensure they can, along with Swansea, also be caught on the final day of the season. It would throw the relegation battle wide open game and with Palace travelling to Manchester United on the last day, anything could happen.
“My future is not important, the next game is important,” said Silva, whose passing physical resemblance to Jose Mourinho is replicated in their shared expressions and mannerisms.
“We believe we can win and it’s the most important game of the season for us. I think it is possible there is a final twist. We need to win this next game and then we will see about the last weekend.
“It’s possible that Crystal Palace will be finding it tough, they did not think they would be in this position a few weeks ago, the pressure will be on them. They have a good squad and nobody put them in this fight, but they still have to do something to be safe.
“They have a very experienced manager, but when you analyse their results at home, they have not been the best, but they are a strong team. They have very good players, they will create problems. It will be a big fight, but they will feel the pressure. We will play it like a final.”