Marco Silva has doubled down on his disappointment at Fulham’s lack of summer transfer business.
The Cottagers’ head coach insisted his ambitions for the club this term will be undermined by Fulham’s failure to add numbers to his squad during the close season. Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s meeting with Manchester United at Craven Cottage, Silva said:
“I’m not pleased, I’ll repeat again – we should not be pleased, we as a football club. I’ll repeat again – it’s not about the manager, it’s about us as a football club. If you arrive at this stage of the season and you haven’t signed one player from one of the targeted positions and there are three to four (targets) … I don’t need to say it, the plan is not going through.
It was clear the positions we need, because some players left. Reiss Nelson, Willian – two wingers left, we need wingers. One striker left the club. We need [a striker]. We decided from … the end of last season, we needed to sign another midfielder. I think it’s clear for everyone. I’ve just said the truth. Until now, we are the only club that hasn’t bought one player. That is the truth.”
Silva highlighted the fact that Fulham will play three games in the next six days – which will stretch his slender squad/
We need players, we need solutions. It’s not easy to play Sunday, then Wednesday [in the League Cup against Bristol City] which will end at 10pm. After, we start early for the game on Saturday [at Stamford Bridge]. It’s almost impossible for us repeat players [in the starting line-up] for three games next week. We need solutions, we need numbers.”
Seems strange we’re not showing ambition. We have a great in stand, surely the owners don’t want us to go down and have it half empty after spending all that money. We’ve heard Marcos side . It would be nice if the owners gave there side. We’ve not got the money or were trying and expecting to get players or even we can’t back Marco with new signings when he hasn’t signed a new contract, and a new manager may want different players
Maybe the Khans are content with where things are?
Perhaps Fulham isn’t as important as the rest of the business empire?
Could Shad want some of his money back having bankrolled the first team in the Premier League and the Riverside Stand?
It is clear that Silva hasn’t been given what he was promised. The board might have decided they don’t want to back a manager who hasn’t committed to a new contract, but that could have disastrous consequences. You feel like we make it very hard for ourselves.
Sad but true !! I simply can not see Silva signing a co tract where as the club is not matching his ambitious!!.He told the board the players he need and they are just could not get players in.!!.
It would be great if the manager told us, the fans, exactly what the problem has been re the lack of transfer activity. It’s really more about promises made, then being broken.
We all believe it’s the Khans, collectively, or is it just one the two, junior or senior, that is the cause?
Or, quite possibly, could it be Alistair Mackintosh’s ineptness that is behind this?
It was noticeable, from the Motspur Park video, that Silva gave both Khans a hug when they showed their faces at the training ground and pointedly ignored the CEO. Maybe that’s simply because he sees him regularly, maybe there’s something more to it.
A little more insight from the manager would certainly be appreciated. I’m not sure that he has anything to lose if, as everybody believes, this will be his last season in charge.
Not sure he wouldn’t be stepping out of line if he were to point fingers. I personally think it’s for the CEO or TK to make any announcements on recruitment matters, or the lack of.
A more worrying thought is that Silva will eventually lose patience and bale out, surprised he hasn’t already. He’s the one whose future career depends on past performance but if he’s starved of resources how can he do his job?