Fulham’s stand-in skipper Dejan Stefanovic has said he saw no future for the club under Lawrie Sanchez, and that he is already looking forward to the revolution under new manager with Roy Hodgson.
Sanchez replaced fan favourite and ex-player Chris Coleman, who was controversially sacked towards the end of last season.
Having been successful with Northern Ireland, big things were expected of Sanchez, who spent £25 million over the summer.
However, Fulham – not helped by some wretched luck – found themselves unforgivably in the relegation zone, and it cost Sanchez his job.
Stefanovic rues the club’s league position, but insisted a change was necessary.
“We were unlucky to lose a couple of games but I couldn’t see any better if we continued in the way we were,” he revealed.
“The board decided to change the manager and now we must see what we can do under him in order to survive in the squad.
“It’s very important to get our first win under the new manager. Everyone has been looking forward to working with him.
“He seems a very organised person. He’s been coaching in other countries and knows football inside out.
“We are playing more of a passing game now, which hasn’t been the case in the past,” he said.
“We have the players to play football at this club – internationals who are capable of it. But in some games in the past we did not play football.
“I can’t blame the previous manager as that was his style and everyone is different. Sometimes it was frustrating for the team.
“If you have the personnel to play football but they are asked to do something different, it becomes frustrating for the players.
“Now I’m looking forward to working with the new manager.”
Fulham entertain Bristol Rovers in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday and will be hoping for a good result to help inspire the side back into some much needed league form.
With the transfer window now open, many fans are eager for Hodgson to bring in reinforcements. However, following Sanchez’s summer squandering, Hodgson is eager to put the current crop of players first.
“All the players want to show the manager what they can do,” declared the Serbian.
“The new manager will want to maybe bring in some new players but the guys who are already here must prove ourselves as well.”
Stefanovic welcomes the possibility of recruitments, saying: “Of course I’d like the club to buy some new players. We don’t have a big squad and we have a few injuries at the moment.
“We have good players but that doesn’t mean we will stay in the Premiership.
“It’s difficult at the moment and when things are difficult you need to change something.
“I feel we need a couple of new players to help us.”
Fulham are second from bottom in the Premier League.
