After suffering “The worst day of my football career,’ after his team scrapped through to safety on the last day of the season, Chris Coleman has again spoken about our plight.
This weekend as we all know is one of the most important in Fulham`s recent history.
Since the end of January, our super whites looked doomed and Coleman hopes the struggle will spark more realistic expectations at Craven Cottage.
‘This could turn out to be a blessing in disguise,’ said the 37-year-old Welshman, sacked by Fayed 13 months ago. ‘It will sober up those people who think they should be a top 10 club. They don’t have 40,000 supporters; they don’t have a top 10 budget. Why should they be top 10?
‘Fulham are a great little club but that’s what they are, a great little club. I hope they stay up and I hope they stop being unrealistic. If that happens they can be Premier League for a long time to come. When people get unrealistic, that’s when the wheels come off.’
When Al Fayed took over the club he promised us he would turn Fulham into the Manchester United of the south. However this statement, as Cookie revealed, will haunt any who takes over the job at the Cottage. When the club were safely in mid-table, everyone wanted more.
‘It was all thrown at me,’ said Coleman. ‘We want more exciting football, you’re only playing with one striker, and you`re not winning away from home. But the players and staff are not daft, they know deep down where the club should be. At the start of each season, they know it is going to be a struggle, another hard season, but they know the club will be alright it if they stick together.’
Our recent turn around has been largely credited to the return of Brian McBride and Jimmy Bullard after injuries.
‘It’s not a coincidence,’ agreed Coleman. ‘They’re two great players and two great leaders. Brian is the consummate professional. He’s a great target man, he scores goals and will give you blood, sweat and tears every time he pulls his jersey on.
‘Jimmy is loud and confident, getting into everyone’s ear in the dressing room. He plays with a smile on his face. On top of that he has quality. I wouldn’t want to heap blame on him but I might still be there if he wasn’t injured. We played a style to suit Jimmy. We had great legs in midfield with Michael Brown and Papa Bouba Diop. We missed his invention. He suffered and I suffered.’
The “should we have sacked Cookie?” will never disappear till we find some success. I think Hodgson will bring that success. When it will come depends on this Sunday; win and we will see something in the next two years! Mark my words!
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