Soccer-Phelan appointed permanent Hull City manager

LONDON, Oct (HKSE: 3366-OL.HK - news) 13 (Reuters) - Hull City have appointed interim boss Mike Phelan as head coach on a permanent basis, the Premier League club said on Thursday.

Phelan took over from Steve Bruce, who resigned before the season began and was appointed manager of Championship side Aston Villa on Wednesday.

"It's been a while in coming, but I'm happy with the position I am now in and looking forward to the challenge ahead," Phelan told the club's website (www.hullcitytigers.com).

"It's exciting to step over that threshold into management, and I'm looking forward to working with this group of players that has done so well so far."

Under Phelan's stewardship, Hull began the season with wins over defending champions Leicester City and Swansea City, before being beaten at home by Manchester United (NYSE: MANU - news) .

Hull picked up just one point from their next four league fixtures, which have included home defeats by Arsenal and Chelsea and a 5-1 drubbing away to Liverpool.

The club are currently 15th in the 20-team table and travel to Bournemouth on Saturday. (Reporting by Ian Rodricks in Bengaluru/Alan Baldwin; Editing by Toby Davis)