Summer signing John Collins has targeted the Division One title after taking a pay cut and dropping down a division to reunited with Jean Tigana at Craven Cottage.
The Scottish midfielder, who joined Fulham from Everton last month, turned down interest from a number of top flight and European clubs to sign for Tigana after he was appointed as Fulham’s successor to Paul Bracewell as Mohamed Al-Fayed seeks to end the Cottagers’ exile from the top flight. Collins told the Evening Standard’s Leo Spall:
“I would not have come to Fulham if Jean Tigana was not manager. We think along the same lines and our relationship was crucial. There was interest from numerous French clubs and I took about three weeks deciding whether to make the move. I had some reservations about leaving the top league for the first time in my career. But Jean told me his plans to build a small club into a big one which can challenge the best in the country. There cannot be a much better project than that. Sometimes in football, money is not everything. Job satisfaction is important.”
The experienced midfielder, who played for Tigana at Monaco, has become a key link between the new coaching staff and the playing squad in his first few weeks at Motspur Park.
“I think me being here will help Jean, too. From a language point of view his English has improved dramatically but, if there are any grey areas when he is trying to explain to the players, I can step in. If people ask me what he meant, I can help. There has been a massive change in the way they do things here too. If any of the players have a moan I am here to say ‘try it, it will benefit you like it has me and lots of others’.
I can talk with Jean about team tactics and what has gone wrong because of our relationship and that is good to know. But there are so many games in this league I will not have time to coach. I don’t know the First Division that well but I should think winning the title is realistic. I have not come to hang about at this level, that is not part of my plan.
The foundations are here and I think we have to believe promotion is possible in the first season. The pleasant surprise I have had is that I have found there are some good players here. I thought the standard would be poorer than it is. You should never look too far ahead but I will certainly be able to play for my three years and I believe Fulham are going to make a lot of progress. I have still got a bit of fire in my belly and I want to win things.”
