Joao Palhinha has told Flashscore tonight that he is planning to stay with Fulham – and that he feels Marco Silva’s side can progress further next term after taking ‘a step forward’ this season.
The Portuguese defensive midfielder is preparing to go to his first European Championships having been named in Roberto Martinez’s squad for this summer’s tournament in Germany and go on international duty boosted by what he describes ‘as a very good season’.
“In collective terms, it was a very good season, just like the first one. In personal terms it was also good, I felt I did well and evolved, that’s the most important thing. Overall, I look back on it as a very positive season. Fulham’s goal was to stay up, we mustn’t forget that. It was achieved quickly and at one stage of the season, we even thought we could fight for something more. But with the great competitiveness of the Premier League, it wasn’t easy to push towards Europe, even though we tried to fight for it.
Everyone realises how competitive it is in England so you mustn’t always compare the two seasons. In the first season, we scored more points, if you look at it that way, the facts don’t lie. We almost beat Fulham’s points record in the Premier League, so in that sense, it was a better season. But then you look at the results against big teams and this season we’ve beaten Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United … so we’ve had several games where we’ve given a different image of ourselves compared to the previous season, at least as far as the big teams are concerned.
The positive season we’ve had comes from that, we’ve taken a step forward. There have been changes to the team, but we’ve managed to maintain a base.”
Asked directly if he would be remaining at the Cottage, Palhinha replied:
Yes, so far the outlook is to continue. In football, you never know what tomorrow will bring. I have dreams, goals as a player. Since I started my career I’ve always dreamed of playing on the big stages of world football. I’ve already had a chance, as is publicly known.
“At the moment, today, the likelihood is I stay at Fulham, but we’ll see what happens. I have immense respect for the Fulham organisation, people know what a professional I am and that’s the example I want to pass on to the many kids who follow me and look up to me.”
Palhinha also answered honestly when asked about his botched move to Bayern Munich, preferring to concentrate on his upcoming international commitments.
“I don’t know if it’s a closed door or not, everything in football is very uncertain. I can’t say it’s a closed or open door. I can’t put myself in a position like that either. Today I want to focus more on the European Championships because that’s the goal, to leave a good impression at the Euros, and then everything else will follow. People already know me. The fact that I’m in the Premier League means I’m in a very big shop window, probably the biggest of them all. The Euros is also a showcase that everyone is following all over the world.”
That’s good to hear. We need much more though on & off the pitch I have posted many time how much we need a specialised ‘shooting coach we get into many great positions only to throw it away with bad shooting skills. Good luck to everyone at fulham COYW
He talks a lot of sense and has an obvious appreciation of how it works. Want him to do well for his sake……..but, not so well the big clubs will all come clambering. Hope he stays.
Alas, I do not read any certainty into his comments. His comments are very open ended. Great player. Want him to stay. Really do not believe he will still be with us for the new season. He dreams of the largest stages. He will have an agent who dreams. Mmmm…
He’s saying nice things and he’s happy to stay but he’d be happier if a really big club made a big enough offer for the club to accept. Fair enough but I don’t see his statement as pledging undying loyalty to the club and why would he?
Yep if you read his and Robinson’s comments they basically say I’m happy to stay but if the club sells me and I get a pay rise at a bigger club then no problem….in which case you can bet their agents are on the case for their cut.
It’s up to TK to show some ambition, and frankly competence, this window and move us up a level. Yes I get all the FFP issues. But doing everything last minute and penny pinching doesn’t save money! As Silva keeps saying you have to invest to stay competitive. Our squad is slowly aging and needs some money spent soon.
Yeah, he’s clearly looking for more/bigger. Hence the mention of the Euros potentially putting him in the shop window. But equally he’s already shown he’s happy to stay and fight for us if that’s the way the chips fall. He proved that by continuing to be central to the team even after the Bayern thing. Many players would have switched off entirely had that happened to them.
Why not give Paulinho the captains armband that should mean. enough to him to want to stay for a few seasons his contribution in Midfield is in valuable forget loyalty to players who were captain before we have had five captains this season where’s the consistency ie Cairney,Ream,Reid,Leno,and Ginger Iniesta
If his performances in the Euros are up to his usual levels, sadly we will probably have seen the last of him in a Fulham shirt. After the failed transfer move from Bayern, he showed that he was professional enough to keep going (many would have been ‘tripping over their protruding bottom lips’). It will put further pressure on boy Khan to deliver fresh players from Marco’s ‘wanted list’. I have said on here before, the lad has his fingers in too many pies to be doing the role of Director of Football at a Premiership club properly and we could see Marco taking one of the many offers I’m sure he’s getting to manage elsewhere if he doesn’t deliver.