Hull manager Phil Brown revealed that he had spoken with incoming chairman Adam Pearson before Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Burnley and plans to do so in the aftermath as well.

Pearson is set to replace Brown's good friend Paul Duffen who resigned from the role last week, sparking further questions about the Hull manager's future.

Brown has come in for heavy criticism having overseen just three wins from the Tigers' past 31 games.

Asked what he thought Pearson, who was watching from the stands at Turf Moor, would have learned from the game, he said: "He would have learned that he has a manager that is still at the helm and one that is willing to put his neck on the line for the cause.

"And that he also has a group of players that will do the same for the manager.

"The players are disappointed, not at themselves, not at me, maybe at something else."

Confirming he had spoken to Pearson in person, Brown said: "Yes. It was before the game two days ago and before the game yesterday (Friday) and I'll speak with him again after the game."

Burnley boss Owen Coyle backed his Hull counterpart and former Bolton team-mate to show his qualities in the coming days and months.

Coyle, who played alongside the then captain Brown at Bolton in the mid-1990s, said: "The last thing Browny will want is sympathy. He's a personal friend of mine. I'll see him now when I go back in.

"He was the captain at Bolton and has done a terrific job at Hull and again because he's raised the bar in terms of expectation that's the nature of the beast.

"Hull got into the Premier League and that's down to him being in charge and bringing them on.

"As I say they're not down and out they're right in the mix, but knowing him as I do he'll bounce back, he's a battler, he'll show his qualities."

Coyle also took the opportunity to single out Tyrone Mears for special praise after he turned in yet another impressive display at right-back.

"Tyrone has been outstanding for me since day one," he said. "For me he was a bargain at just £400,000.

"Normally you don't get ready made players, in the Premier League you have to go and spend six or seven million.

"But Tyrone Mears looks like he's been playing Premier League football for all his years.

"He has to keep playing like this week in week out because when you set a standard you don't want to fall below it. At the moment he is playing very well."

The Clarets boss also revealed that goalkeeper Brian Jensen needed a pain-killing injection to enable him to take up his gloves on Saturday.

"I thought Brian Jensen was magnificent and again answered up to his critics," he added,

"Some of the criticism he took last week was personal and just so you're aware of this he took a pain killing injection to enable him to play. That's all credit to him."