Fulham defender Jack Grimmer believes his season hasn’t started yet after suffering an ankle injury in the opening week of the campaign.
The 21-year-old was on the pitch for an hour against Wycombe in the Capital One Cup first round but has yet to enjoy any more first-team action due to the blow sustained there.
And he is itching to get back to full fitness and could return later this month.
He said: “It’s been a long time. I feel as if my season hasn’t started as I injured my ankle in the first cup game of the season.
“Rehab has been going well. I’m doing my work with the physios. I’m hoping to be fit again in the next couple of weeks.”
Fulham have been inconsistent so far this season and are sitting in 12th place in the league, which is an improvement on their position last year.
There is a school of thought that a solid, mid-table season would be good for the club after the Felix Magath debacle, however Grimmer is aiming his sights higher.
Speaking before Kit Symons left the club, Grimmer said: “I think if you look at the season we had last season, I think anything better than last year will be better but that’s not we have in our minds.
“That’s not what the staff are saying about it and that’s not what the people at the club think.
“We’re definitely on the same page that we want to get this club and its fans back to where we think it belongs and, since I joined, we were an established Premier League team and I think that’s what everyone at the club, players, staff and the fans are really aiming.”
Fulham are one of 12-15 teams who believe they have the squad capable of promotion and Grimmer knows that, if they are to achieve it this season, it will not come without hard work.
He added: “It’s one of the toughest leagues in the world – that can’t be questioned. You look at the teams and the strength of squads in the Championship.
“There are no easy games whether you’re at home to a side bottom of the league – you’ll have to battle to get three points. The teams that are up and around there at the end of the season.
“It’s indescribable. There aren’t many leagues out there that have such a frantic fixture schedule; especially the Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday. It can be draining for the players physically and mentally. That’s what we do and why we love doing it. Every player wants to play football.”
