Kevin McDonald says Fulham are ready to ‘give it a right old blast’ in the Premier League this season after seeing the club supplement their promotion-winning squad with new signings during a busy summer transfer window.
The Scottish international insists that the Whites aren’t just looking to survive but are determined to prove they belong in English football’s top flight. Fulham spent around £120m on twelve new signings over the summer – including five arrivals during a busy transfer deadline day – and McDonald told the Evening Standard that reflects the ambition at Craven Cottage.
We are going to give it a right old blast this season. We are not here to make up the numbers. We are here to prove to everyone what we can do, prove that this is where the club belongs. The owners have invested money wisely and bought some really good players. That can only benefit the team.
The former Wolves and Burnley midfielder was quick to insist that the squad themselves are remaining grounded ahead of the start of the new campaign, acutely aware of the big step up in quality from the Championship.
People are seeing all these big names coming in and the money we are spending so it is understandable that from the outside expectation levels have been raised. But we are a level-headed group of players and we know where we stand. We would be naive to start looking above to the top half of the table. First and foremost we have got to establish ourselves as a Premier League team. Of course we want to finish as high as we can but we know it is going to be a long, hard season.
McDonald also reiterated that Slavisa Jokanovic has told his players to keep true to their footballing principles and that the Fulham squad don’t feel under any extra pressure on the eve of the new season.
We are a new team coming to the league so I do not think there is pressure on us. Outsiders always think the three promoted teams are favourites to get relegated. With the signings we have made maybe we are different. The gaffer wants us to play the exact same way. He got us here playing that way. That is not going to change.
