Adam Pearson praises Phil Brown

Phil Brown has earned the praise of Hull City chairman Adam Pearson for the way he has responded to recent adversity and remained calm under intense pressure.

GettyImages

A win over Stoke brought a smile to Phil Brown's face

Brown has been the subject of sustained speculation this season following a difficult run of form for the Tigers - with rumours even sweeping the Premier League that he had been sacked at the end of October.

But a 2-1 victory over Stoke in the club's last Premier League outing relieved some of the pressure on Brown, even if his position continues to be closely monitored with the club just one point clear of the bottom three.

Pearson admits that having his job reviewed on a weekly basis is not a pleasant situation for Brown but has been impressed with the manager's response under difficult conditions.

"Phil is really aware of it," Pearson told the Hull Daily Mail. "I wouldn't say he is comfortable with it, as nobody is when they are under intense pressure, but I think he works well under pressure. He has responded well to being under pressure and he is coming through the other end."

Hull are preparing for an important game on Saturday when West Ham visit the KC Stadium. The Hammers are just one place below Brown's side and a victory for Gianfranco Zola's side would see the hosts slip back into the relegation places.