The conventional wisdom says that Fulham’s league form could be adversely affected by our participation in the Europa League next season. Not so, according to Aaron Hughes.
The Northern Ireland defender says that his experience of European competition at Newcastle has convinced him that there’s nothing to fear despite the new format.
Maybe it was because I was younger then. But you get used to playing Sunday, Thursday, Sunday, Thursday.
At Newcastle, we got to a quarter-final and semi-final in the Uefa Cup and our league form was okay. I think the first year we still finished fifth or sixth and got in for the next year.
It’ll be tough. Yes, there will be lots of games, but, at the same time,when you get into a rhythm, you just become accustomed to it. They come thick and fast and sometimes that’s better than having to wait two weeks.
Hughes thinks that some of Fulham’s current squad players will be choming at the bit to test themselves in Europe.
There have been a lot of lads waiting for their chance on the bench, so we do have options. It’s just a question of hoping we don’t pick up any injuries.
Time will tell in terms of comings and goings and the manager will do what he feels he has to do to prepare us best for the season. But as long as we keep the ethics of this year,we’ll always be a tough team to beat and do reasonably well.
