Marco Silva was delighted that Fulham lifted the Championship title in style after thrashing Luton Town 7-0 at Craven Cottage this evening.
The Fulham head coach insisted that his side can approach a return to the Premier League with confidence after a record-breaking season. Silva told his post-match press conference:
“We’ve had an amazing season but I believe we can create something even more special. I have this ambition – but if I didn’t have ambition at 44, the desire to be here, working, every single day, something would be wrong. We know the challenge will be difficult – we will respect our opponents and the challenge that is coming, but my style will not change. Our philosophy will not change. The games will be different. If you ask me now if I will have 70 per cent possession, I know it will not be.
I’m not stupid. I know what is ahead of us and in certain moments of games we will not be so dominant as this season. Our main idea though will not change – our philosophy – because it’s inside of us. But of course we have to prepare ourselves. We have to be creative and be humble enough to understand the type of competition we will play but it would not make sense if we played with one face for 12 months and the next season we played completely different. We will not do it.
We have created something – not necessarily better than previous season: I don’t want to judge. It’s not for me to do it. But we built something special this season with most of the players being better than they were at the start of the season. It’s a fantastic feeling. I want more. I’m celebrating with my players but I’m thinking of the future as well. We have to be really competitive next season and compete at a high level and make ourselves proud in every single game.”
It’s really, really important for us to go with full confidence in ourselves, positive knowing the new challenge ahead of us but at the same time believing in ourselves and what we are able to do. We have something to prove as a club. It’s a great competition to play – the best competition in the world and from 15 days ago we started work to prepare ourselves well. To start pre-season in the right way.
It is a great achievement for everyone at the club. I told the players I was really proud of them. They enjoyed it. I have to congratulate all of them and all of those behind the scenes. And, last – but first really – the fans. That was the best atmosphere at the Cottage this season. Fantastic. The fans showed they can create an atmosphere that can really help us.”
Silva heaped praise on goalscoring supremo Aleksandar Mitrovic, who broke Guy Whittingham’s second-tier record in stoppage time.
“He’s brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. I’m pleased for him because he deserves these records – he’s a great guy, a brilliant professional. The feeling at the Cottage when he scored his second, our seventh, we knew it would be important for him. We used him in fantastic way, to link our game this evening.”
