Marco Silva has told Marek Rodak to be ‘fully focused on this season’ after reports that the Fulham goalkeeper could consider his future at the club if he is replaced by a new signing this summer.
Speaking after the Slovakian international’s mix up with Tim Ream decided last night’s game against Nottingham Forest, the Fulham head coach demanded his current number one finish the current campaign strongly before worrying about any transfer activity ahead of the Whites’ Premier League return. In an interview with a Slovak website last week, the Fulham academy graduate admitted he would probably seek a transfer if he is denied first-team football again after helping the club win promotion.
Silva told his post-match press conference:
“Marek has to be fully focused on this season, nothing more.”
He admitted disappointment at failing to secure the title with a below-par performance against Forest, who are now putting pressure on Bournemouth to join the Whites in the Premier League.
“They wanted to win and get the job done last Saturday. They wanted to get the job done tonight. We didn’t perform at our best level at all. I don’t see reasons to be under pressure to be honest, I think it’s the best pressure you can have as a football player and as a manager – to play to get promotion and to play to get the title.
To be champions of a competition is the best pressure you can have. If you can’t deal with this pressure then something is wrong. Of course we have to live, as a group, with this pressure and work on it. I will speak with the players again in the next training session because we have to learn from these type of moments because I don’t see reasons for us to be so unsure with the ball, rushing so many decisions.”
