Fulham forward Collins John is already excited to build on the successes of a whirlwind first six months in English football.
The Dutch striker, signed from FC Twente in January, scored four goals in eight appearances as Chris Coleman’s side recorded a club record ninth-placed finish in the Premier League in May.
John told the club’s official website:
“I am excited about next season, I want to know what the team is for next season and I want to come back for pre-season fit and without injury so that maybe I can go through the whole of next season from the start to the end.
“In the beginning when I first came here I had to prove myself in the team and that was hard because I had played in the Dutch competition and then I came to the Premier League. I have said many times that the difference is unbelievable. It is faster, stronger and the defences are unbelievable. So I try to say to myself that I will get used to the competition and make sure I play good and let the fans see that I am a good player.
It is steep yes, but I can play football, I know that, but I know as well that I have many things still to learn. That is normal because I am a young player but I am very happy here, especially as I have scored a few goals for Fulham already.”
John recalls with delight how his first goals for Fulham arrived after he stepped off the bench to great success at Leicester.
I was warming up at the time and he [Coleman] called me over and said to me ‘are you finished, are you ready for it?’ I said yes I’m ready, and he said ‘well go and get me a goal then.’ I didn’t say anything back, I was thinking to get the goal so I went on and after four minutes I did. So that is why I pulled my shirt off, I was in another world in my head. Then I scored the second goal and Cookie let me start in the next match against Blackburn and I scored two again!”
The teenager was disappointed to lose a topsy-turvy encounter 4-3 that night.
“It really was a pity we lost 4-3 because if you score two goals then you should win. So then I played against Liverpool and almost scored one goal again, I missed a real chance, so I am happy we drew that match. I then did not play a good match against Charlton Athletic, but I don’t worry about that, I move on. Lastly I played good against Arsenal for half an hour and I think it was a real pity we didn’t score.”
