I don’t know about you – but I’m still buzzing from Friday night. Chelsea spent more than £300m last month to go from losing to Fulham to drawing with the Whites. Fair play to them, I suppose. Another splurge in the summer and they might manage to trouble Bernd Leno next season. It is a sign of how far Fulham have travelled under Marco Silva that I walked away from Stamford Bridge slightly disappointed that we hadn’t nicked it: wondering whether Willian, Bobby Decordova-Reid and Aleksandar Mitrovic might have done more with the opportunities we’d created in the penalty area. But I’ll certainly settle for taking four points off the sanctioned boys.
There was a lot to admire about the way Fulham fought for that draw. Unlike the first meeting between the two sides, when I think the boys knew it was a great chance to end our barren run in the SW6 derby, the players didn’t look overawed by the occasion. They scrapped for every ball, chased each lost case and sprinted back when an attack had petered out. Apparently, that surprised Gary Neville on Sky Sports. Perhaps he’s forgotten about the characteristics of a good side having spent the last few years suffering through Manchester United’s decline. Effort is a prerequisite under Marco Silva.
So, too, is style. This wasn’t, as Dan discussed in the match report, a blood and thunder backs-to-the-wall effort of a plucky outfit punching above our weight. Sure, the Whites defended diligently – Kenny Tete was excellence, Tim Ream inspirational and Issa Diop headed everything that came his way – but there was a style to the way they broke too. Willian continues to roll back the years on one wing, some of Bobby Decordova-Reid’s touches were sublime and Andreas Pereira, on a relatively quiet evening for our creator-in-chief, was unfortunate not to break the deadlock with a rasping drive. There might have been a slight alteration in attacks but seeing Antonee Robinson surge down the wing, you knew there was still an emphasis on getting forward where possible. I’ve never seen a Fulham centre back sprint seventy yards to join a counter attack after winning a tackle in his own half, either.
There’s something to admire in everything Marco Silva does. You can tell all the players want to play for him. He has rebuilt the confidence of those who were left on the scrapheap by his predecessor. He has a team that might have been traumatised by their previous experiences of the top flight going toe to toe with the best sides in the country. And he’s ours. What Silva has done in his year and a half at Craven Cottage would be too sensational for a Hollywood scriptwriter. That’s why it is crucial that the conversation he should be having with the Fulham hierarchy right now is about what it will take for him to sign on the dotted line of a contract extension. I don’t want to go all Rio Ferdinand on you, but let him right the numbers on that piece of paper, Mr. Mackintosh, he’s worth it.
You’d better believe our perceptive Portuguese head coach will be in demand this summer. Plenty of big jobs on clubs that are having underwhelming seasons will be up for grabs and Silva will be on the shortlist for any canny football executives out there. This is an important moment in Fulham’s history. The best managers of our recent past have been the briefest. Micky Adams barely got a couple of months after leading the Whites out of the Football League basement, Kevin Keegan was seduced by England and Jean Tigana found himself hobbled by boardroom disputes. Roy Hodgson decamped for Liverpool only weeks after reaching a European final. The last manager who had Fulham playing with such style was Slavisa Jokanovic and a lack of synergy between the coaching staff and the club’s senior leadership left him carrying the can for a summer of silly spending.
Silva and Fulham are such a good fit. The man who has looking to rebuild his reputation in England after his humbling experience with Everton now has the opportunity to lead Fulham to heights we probably don’t even dare to dream about. Look how he high he has got a team fashioned in a few short weeks over the summer flying. We wouldn’t be human if we didn’t idly ponder in those dreary moments at work where Marco might lead the Whites. But dreaming is all it will be unless he gets the long-term security every football manager craves. The Khan family have invested a truly staggering amount of money in London’s oldest professional football club – surely it makes sense to back their shrewdest signing to the hilt. He is a genius, after all.
He is a genius need to get a new contract ASAP the football we’ve been playing since he joined is an absolute joy lovin it COYW
When does the current contract end?
The vultures will be circling for Silva, Mitro, Palhinia, Robinson, HR and dare I say it Tete as well after Friday. I think we’ll know about the Khan’s and our club after the summer. Obviously this is all good news but if we really are building then all of the above need to stay. Their agents will be kicking their lips after the season we’ve had so we’ll see what our resolve is. I cant see the players wanting to leave this vibe and leave Silva as long as they’re paid appropriately so we’ll see. It’s going to be one of the most interesting summers for a while.
Clearly Silva is a good coach, the team has continued to improve ever since he joined. Unlike his predecessor he has the ability to organize the team to produce the best they possibly can match by match. Thomas Frank at Brentford recently got a new contract so why not Silva at Fulham ? The sooner the better.
i am not so sure that Marco would be swayed by a huge salary alone. I would expect him to solicit some assurances about future signings.
We have to keep Marco and all of our best players and make sure they all have long contracts before we get to the summer transfer window, this is the best team we have had in years and we have to show ambition if we qualify for Europe COYW.
I agree with all that’s said in the article and comments. Yes it wii be an interesting summer. So it will depend on getting Marco and players to sign long term deals. Then without hughly breaking the clubs wage structure getting in some more players to increase the squad size including blooding some of our youngster’s. Dare to dream
COYW