Marco Silva’s forthright words about Fulham’s recruitment failures over the summer can’t have come as a surprise to the club’s hierarchy. His predecessors have all criticised the way Fulham have acted over transfers.

Slavisa Jokanovic, who only got the job after the ownership spent seven weeks failing to find a permanent replacement after sacking Kit Symons, frequently used to press to vent his fury. Remember how keen he was to sign Andreas Pereira all those years ago? Then, he told Henry Winter about only having 12 players at his disposal after earning prompotion. When the Whites overcompensated in the months after winning the play-off final, the Serbian paid for that splurge with his job.

Claudio Ranieri’s spell at the Cottage won’t be remembered with much fondness by many of the Fulham fanbase, but at least the likeable Italian kept his criticism private until after his services had been dispensed with. The Premier League winner – a risk free appointment, remember? – also had to work through a crazy January transfer window. Scott Parker had his own quibbles about summer recruitment following a memorable play-off final victory.

We aren’t surprised about how things work at Craven Cottage. It follows a similar template because a) the club believe there is better value towards the end of the window and b) the club’s director of football has other responsibilities that keep him busy. What’s galling about this particular failure is that Silva had very publicly challenged the ownership to match his ambition as he batted away attention from other clubs. The Portuguese head coach has rebuild his reputation in SW6. Returning the Whites to the top tier and revamping the playing style post-Parker was some achievement but ending the yo-yo days and making Fulham competitive in the Premier League – beating the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United (twice) and Liverpool – whilst losing a key player every summer (see the departures of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Joao Palhinha) points to his pedigree.

The apparent knock against Silva is that doesn’t blood young footballers. Tell that to Fabio Carvalho, in whom he entrusted the number ten role in the Championship. Explain it to the likes of Luc de Fougerolles, Luke Harris, Josh King and Martial Godo, who have been offered opportunities to impress. Silva seems to subscribe to the ‘if you are good enough, you’re old enough’ school of thought, but he has wisely opted to mix a blend of youth and experience because throwing all the youngsters into senior football at once is a recipe for disaster that all those who lived through Felix Bingo can wearily recognise.

The interesting thing about Silva’s frustrated comments ahead of the Brighton game were that they created the ownership for securing the futures of some key players. The head coach even glossed over the fact that, at point this summer, it seemed like that Kenny Tete would be going to Everton. There are suggestions that Silva had to make clear that he wanted a deal done for Tom Cairney. It is well known that negotiations for King and sixteen year-old Seth Ridgeon were also challenging due to the number of other clubs looking to sign these talented footballers. The wags who went to Sutton on Tuesday night suggested that would be checking out Liverpool’s 2027/2028 first-team squad – and the only surprise is that it isn’t the champions who are tracking the magnificent Macaulay Zepa.

Sustainability is held up as vital, but no business so indebted to a billionaire is suddenly going to wipe its feet because of the arrival of the Riverside Stand. That revenue will take a while to roll through, especially as much of the work is being undertaken by third parties. Selling players for a profit is what the Whites will have to do, but you can see why Silva is frustrated this summer. Rodrigo Muniz, a player Silva pushed Fulham in sign early in his tenure and championed even after the young striker had struggled at Middlesbrough, is now fluttering his eyelashes at Atalanta. Perhaps that situation couldn’t have been avoided after he watched Mitrovic force his own exit, but the depletion of the squad so close to the transfer deadline is tough to take.

A small squad will be supplemented by some talents from the youth team. Plenty of us have been calling for that for years. But Silva is right to think that, having taken a team so close to Europe last season, the ownership could have been more proactive in bringing in new players. It isn’t as if the spending needed to be lavish. Even before Muniz’s mooted departure, it was clear that Fulham needed a third centre forward. Silva’s approach is based on intelligent wide players that a couple of new wingers would be vital. One, Reiss Nelson, is a managerial favourite and is open to coming back. The Whites were ‘in advanced negotiations’ three weeks ago. Where is Nelson now? Still awaiting that second loan spell.

In the end, this speaks to the ambition of the club. Shahid Khan spoke at the start of his ownership as being the ‘custodian’ of London’s oldest football club. At various points, he has insisted he do ‘whatever it takes’. His son has claimed that he wants Silva ‘to stay forever’. The chances of the club’s most valuable asset staying beyond this season now seem remote. The fans will undoubtedly make their voices heard at Brighton and Hove Albion. Because, at the end of the day, we’ve seen this movie before. The Whites should be better equipped that the Martin Jol side of 2013/14 – but the fixture list is tough. Silva works hard. He’s a winner. His words were carefully chosen yesterday, his anger moderated and the blame thinly attached to ‘the market’.

Standing still is not an answer. Silva deserves better. He might not wait around for too long – and that will be the Fulham board’s fault.