Fulham manager Jean Tigana picked the eve of his side’s first fixture in a major European competition to set a two-year target for taking the Whites into the Champions League.
The former French legend told his pre-match press conference in Croatia ahead of tonight’s meeting with Hajduk Split in the first round of the UEFA Cup that he wants to lead the Londoners into the Euorpe’s elite competition. Tigana, who took Fulham into the top flight by winning the First Division at a canter during his first campaign at Craven Cottage, is pleased to be playing continental football again after Junichi Inamoto’s hat=trick against Bologna secured Intertoto Cup success earlier this summer.
Tigana said:
“I’ve missed Europe – of course I have, because Europe is like a gift. Tomorrow’s game is important as it’s Fulham’s first in UEFA Cup. Now I want to play in the European Cup this year or next. That’s my target.
The players have progressed in a year at the higher level and our midfielders have scored many goals this season, which is the difference from last season. When we started in the Intertoto, the aim was to play in this game.
We got through many stages to get here but there’s no target now as it’s a discovery for me and the players. ‘t’s very important for the players to get experience at a higher level.”
