Spot on. 'Finally lost patience' is where I'm at. The shameless nepotism of the owner's son being Director of Football is an embarrassment for al of us - and clearly is at the heart of Silva's issues with the club - as it seems to have been with every good manager that we've had. Our recruitment policy is so obviously dysfunctional. Silva's disillusion has well and truly seeped into the players. I was at Molineux on Sunday and it was awful - so flat, so many players way off their best, no sense of unity at all. Something is very wrong and needs to be addressed.
Yeah - he obviously will never say it but he clearly thinks the club is a mess and Tony's influence will be a big reason why. One day, when Marco leaves, it will be fascinating to see what he has to say about his time at Fulham.
Great article Sammy, you articulated many of the thoughts we have all been feeling.
We have reached a junction which has not been particularly well handled. Marco not feeling able to commit to the Club has not only been a distraction and disappointing, but has led to instability, both on and off the field. The Khans have not forced a showdown because it is in their interest to have continuity. Their ambition seems to be: that they are happy as the owners of a mid table Club; visiting Neutrals and Corporates can enjoy premier hospitality at a Premiership game. I get it, but it’s a bit like an AI version of what it is to go to a Premiership game. There is no atmosphere in the Cottage on some elite games because either the Corporate guests don’t support Fulham but wanted to see Liverpool Utd or City anyway, or are not really football supporters, may not even like football, and are there for a jolly.
Investing in local families and supporters(just repeating what everyone knows is right) is the key. But I’m afraid they are looking at this from a different culture.
I guess the difference between the Khans and Tony Bloom is that he comes from a family who are passionate Brighton supporters, who understand what it is like to support a small club. He has developed the club as a dream project: building a fabulous stadium for all supporters; understanding how the transfer market works; and having the vision and ambition to make his and other supporters dreams come true. He is smart enough be able to see what support will be necessary for Brighton to succeed in Europe. Good Luck.
This is not the case with the Khans: they see Fulham as part of their portfolio of sport investments. Of course they want Fulham to do well but do not have the visceral passion that we have. Mid table suits them very well, as they would have to invest a lot on players if we were to get into Europe, I often wonder whether they’ve always told Marco to take the foot off the pedal come March as it doesn’t suit their business plan.
As for the much needed improvements to the other parts of the ground: it is both difficult and expensive to make changes to a listed building. In reality they would probably have to close each stand as there just not enough time over the summer to do it all, so the decision is - to patch it up at end of each season.
Not great, and uncomfortable for true supporters who can’t use the lavatories or get a drink at half time without having to make a plan.
I completely agree with you Sammy that it feels like the Martin Jol season: Fahyed was taking back loans he had lent the club and was looking for a buyer. I was at the Swansea game. We had hardly won away that season and suddenly we won 3-0 and go up to twelfth, a mid table side. And then along cames the Khans. I do wonder if there was some under the table, brown envelope deal that helped the result. So the wicked old business man sold a patched up mid table team, that was ready for relegation, to an unsuspecting, unknowledgeable US billionaire, who had a soccer virgin son. And then, 13 seasons later, Fahyed’s prediction about the removal of Michael Jackson came to pass-Spooky!
All I can say to you Sammy is: You are a bright, shining light in the Fulham gloom. Don’t let your enthusiasm waver as you and your Team have brought a lot of fun and joy to everyone throughout the season. Thanks for that.
Wow that's a comment worthy of an article itself Bruce. I think you are 100% right about many of that. I too have wondered in the past few days whether Fulham have taken their foot off the gas so as not to qualify for the Conference League because of the 15% SCR hit that comes with it. Then again, if Fulham had won their last two games, there would have been a very very real chance of Champions League football, which would be in their financial interest.
Appreciate the comments on Fulhamish and we will of course continue to make content. Ultimately, we all love Fulham far too much to give anything up. I just wish that we had a club that I was a bit prouder to support.
There are tons of reasons to be a proud Fulham supporter:
We have the best stadium(even though some of the facilities may not be), with the most beautiful location in the football league.
We are the oldest club in London.
The fans are friendly
It’s a really safe place for families
We have had some Legends who played for the club: Johnny Haines, Bobby Moore, Bobby Robson, George Best, Louis Saha, Clint Dempsey.
We have won something that Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho,Arsene Wenger and Pep have Not won. One of only four winners -The UEFA Inter Toto Cup.
As a Fulham fan you are a proud independent thinker who, unlike the glory fans, is resilient and can parry unforeseen circumstances and misfortunes -hence the word Fulhamish -
Which leads onto having one of the best supporters pod casts
As one scholar said, “Sometimes it’s finger looking good, and other times it’s arse wiping bad.”
You can wear the shirt with pride-50% off at the moment.
Keep in the mind that father and son Khan are equally, if not more, involved in the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars. Fulham football is slipping down their list of priorities, particularly in the face of the new Squad Cost Rules (SCR) where, it appears, Fulham's finances are in dire straits.
Whilst researching our top 5 Silva moments, we went back through some YouTube clips etc on those days. Maybe nostalgia kicked in a bit, but both the HE and away days just seemed louder and a load more fun.
I am finished with this season and not in a grudging way
⚪it was good enough to make you believe Europe wasn’t impossible.
⚫Flawed enough to finish exactly where the performances suggested.
Really exited for next year!!! Hopefully with pre-season ahead and injures behind these great and gifted players can learn to play together. Because all in all Fulham have a strong squad
I’m a big King fan, so I was wondering why you said you’re excited for King’s progression (hopefully).”
Get your point, but it for me hasn't been as much fun. Players don't seem as committed, and the Silva contract shadow and continuing state of Board comms, any ground improvements outside of the riverside just leaves a big meh feeling.
Fulham’s good form when some of the players were away in Africa has allowed the club to avoid a relegation fight. The squad must be strengthened to maintain premiership status.
I agree with the theme of the article and what many here say :)
And yes - I should have turned this into a song to win a cruise, but for now it's a story :D
Imagine you live in a high-rise with a balcony attached.
You sit outside to enjoy the spectacular view you paid for and have invested so much into, to be able to experience it on a daily basis.
As you sit there, you notice a faint reoccurring smell. It's the smell of cat shit! The owner of the high-rise has a flat available for him in his own high-rise and he has got a cat - a jaguar to be precise - and have put its litterbox on his balcony, and the gentle gusts of wind are carrying the smell over to where you are placed - enjoying your view.
The smell pulls down your experience of your outside view drastically.
Some neighbors in the high-rise will elect to stay indoors on the worst of days and secretly dream of the day the cat dies. But with their nine lives and longevity, others will elect to sell and move on. Some will elect to confront the owner, only to discover that the owner has no intention of changing the placement of where his cat shits. He prefers his current setup and is quite adamant that you refrain from ever bringing it up again and that you align yourself with the status quo, as he is rightfully within his rights to do as he pleases with his cat and litterbox for as long as he chooses.
And in this stale and rather toxic relational environment, you have kids growing up. Who will find it hard to find fertile ground for growing into the person they're meant to become. Some stagnate, some decline. Others elect to move out - and you see them flourish from afar, wishing you'd seen it happen here close to home.
I believe that the cat litter box absolutely needs to be removed. The best would be if the cat got sent out to pasture someplace else, preferably on a completely different continent.
But with the cat gone, you will have to relate to your owner for as long as he elect to remain the owner of our high-rise. And he seems inept at 'reading the room' and have no intentions of bridging the gap between himself and his tenants. So it's on us alone to do the bridging unfortunately.
We might be able to make up for the gap that exists between ourselves and our owner - by strengthening the bridges between ourselves. We have a common foe - and that can strengthen the bonds between us.
And for us to do that - it's good to air reality as it has been done with this article and the likes of it - so we see things for what it is. But it's also vital to be able to lift our heads and look for positives for the sake of the kids we're responsible for, so that we create an atmosphere - and a fertile ground - for them to thrive within.
And I think we're quite good at this already :D I certainly feel connected with the rest of our community in the high-rise and I share in the frustration of 'what could have been' and what most likely will occur when kids do not develop like we intend for them and some - with their custodian - opt to leave for a healthier environment.
So how could one make this owner change his ways? Is it even possible? Will we ever see the cat be moved on? Can we somehow make the owner change the litter box position? Or are we stuck with the challenge of making it all work as best as possible until the owner decides to sell and move on? And the question is; if we don't thrive with this arrangement, how can we make our kids thrive? Can we create an atmosphere to thrive within that makes up for the cats presence and the awful smell from his litterbox?
I think we could. We have to make it work. If not our kids will be worse off, move and other kids - who's up to no good - will move into our high-rise and the whole high-rise might spiral downwards in societal terms, giving us more headache and things to sort to get back to where we were.
So let's not plaster over the awful smell. Lets acknowledge it - it needs to be dealt with. But simultaneously; let it not dominate everything good we have :)
Spot on. 'Finally lost patience' is where I'm at. The shameless nepotism of the owner's son being Director of Football is an embarrassment for al of us - and clearly is at the heart of Silva's issues with the club - as it seems to have been with every good manager that we've had. Our recruitment policy is so obviously dysfunctional. Silva's disillusion has well and truly seeped into the players. I was at Molineux on Sunday and it was awful - so flat, so many players way off their best, no sense of unity at all. Something is very wrong and needs to be addressed.
Yeah - he obviously will never say it but he clearly thinks the club is a mess and Tony's influence will be a big reason why. One day, when Marco leaves, it will be fascinating to see what he has to say about his time at Fulham.
I imagine he'll have to sign a very prohibitive NDA!
Club loves an NDA.
Great article Sammy, you articulated many of the thoughts we have all been feeling.
We have reached a junction which has not been particularly well handled. Marco not feeling able to commit to the Club has not only been a distraction and disappointing, but has led to instability, both on and off the field. The Khans have not forced a showdown because it is in their interest to have continuity. Their ambition seems to be: that they are happy as the owners of a mid table Club; visiting Neutrals and Corporates can enjoy premier hospitality at a Premiership game. I get it, but it’s a bit like an AI version of what it is to go to a Premiership game. There is no atmosphere in the Cottage on some elite games because either the Corporate guests don’t support Fulham but wanted to see Liverpool Utd or City anyway, or are not really football supporters, may not even like football, and are there for a jolly.
Investing in local families and supporters(just repeating what everyone knows is right) is the key. But I’m afraid they are looking at this from a different culture.
I guess the difference between the Khans and Tony Bloom is that he comes from a family who are passionate Brighton supporters, who understand what it is like to support a small club. He has developed the club as a dream project: building a fabulous stadium for all supporters; understanding how the transfer market works; and having the vision and ambition to make his and other supporters dreams come true. He is smart enough be able to see what support will be necessary for Brighton to succeed in Europe. Good Luck.
This is not the case with the Khans: they see Fulham as part of their portfolio of sport investments. Of course they want Fulham to do well but do not have the visceral passion that we have. Mid table suits them very well, as they would have to invest a lot on players if we were to get into Europe, I often wonder whether they’ve always told Marco to take the foot off the pedal come March as it doesn’t suit their business plan.
As for the much needed improvements to the other parts of the ground: it is both difficult and expensive to make changes to a listed building. In reality they would probably have to close each stand as there just not enough time over the summer to do it all, so the decision is - to patch it up at end of each season.
Not great, and uncomfortable for true supporters who can’t use the lavatories or get a drink at half time without having to make a plan.
I completely agree with you Sammy that it feels like the Martin Jol season: Fahyed was taking back loans he had lent the club and was looking for a buyer. I was at the Swansea game. We had hardly won away that season and suddenly we won 3-0 and go up to twelfth, a mid table side. And then along cames the Khans. I do wonder if there was some under the table, brown envelope deal that helped the result. So the wicked old business man sold a patched up mid table team, that was ready for relegation, to an unsuspecting, unknowledgeable US billionaire, who had a soccer virgin son. And then, 13 seasons later, Fahyed’s prediction about the removal of Michael Jackson came to pass-Spooky!
All I can say to you Sammy is: You are a bright, shining light in the Fulham gloom. Don’t let your enthusiasm waver as you and your Team have brought a lot of fun and joy to everyone throughout the season. Thanks for that.
Looking forward to the Half Moon
COYW
Wow that's a comment worthy of an article itself Bruce. I think you are 100% right about many of that. I too have wondered in the past few days whether Fulham have taken their foot off the gas so as not to qualify for the Conference League because of the 15% SCR hit that comes with it. Then again, if Fulham had won their last two games, there would have been a very very real chance of Champions League football, which would be in their financial interest.
Appreciate the comments on Fulhamish and we will of course continue to make content. Ultimately, we all love Fulham far too much to give anything up. I just wish that we had a club that I was a bit prouder to support.
Thanks
There are tons of reasons to be a proud Fulham supporter:
We have the best stadium(even though some of the facilities may not be), with the most beautiful location in the football league.
We are the oldest club in London.
The fans are friendly
It’s a really safe place for families
We have had some Legends who played for the club: Johnny Haines, Bobby Moore, Bobby Robson, George Best, Louis Saha, Clint Dempsey.
We have won something that Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho,Arsene Wenger and Pep have Not won. One of only four winners -The UEFA Inter Toto Cup.
As a Fulham fan you are a proud independent thinker who, unlike the glory fans, is resilient and can parry unforeseen circumstances and misfortunes -hence the word Fulhamish -
Which leads onto having one of the best supporters pod casts
As one scholar said, “Sometimes it’s finger looking good, and other times it’s arse wiping bad.”
You can wear the shirt with pride-50% off at the moment.
Roll on Saturday
COYW
Well said Sammy I totally agree with you especially about TK and Mackintosh we are going nowhere with them two.
Very well written. Captures that "emptiness" that many of us are feeling.
💯 “But do I love how it’s run and what those in charge stand for? The answer has to be no.”
Keep in the mind that father and son Khan are equally, if not more, involved in the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars. Fulham football is slipping down their list of priorities, particularly in the face of the new Squad Cost Rules (SCR) where, it appears, Fulham's finances are in dire straits.
Couldn't agree more
Whilst researching our top 5 Silva moments, we went back through some YouTube clips etc on those days. Maybe nostalgia kicked in a bit, but both the HE and away days just seemed louder and a load more fun.
I am finished with this season and not in a grudging way
⚪it was good enough to make you believe Europe wasn’t impossible.
⚫Flawed enough to finish exactly where the performances suggested.
Really exited for next year!!! Hopefully with pre-season ahead and injures behind these great and gifted players can learn to play together. Because all in all Fulham have a strong squad
I’m a big King fan, so I was wondering why you said you’re excited for King’s progression (hopefully).”
No conspiracy on the King comment - just a sort of 'touch wood' caveat because his progress can't be 100% guaranteed
Get your point, but it for me hasn't been as much fun. Players don't seem as committed, and the Silva contract shadow and continuing state of Board comms, any ground improvements outside of the riverside just leaves a big meh feeling.
100% Agree but i just what to be optimistic I really think that the players just need ttime to gel
Fulham’s good form when some of the players were away in Africa has allowed the club to avoid a relegation fight. The squad must be strengthened to maintain premiership status.
I agree with the theme of the article and what many here say :)
And yes - I should have turned this into a song to win a cruise, but for now it's a story :D
Imagine you live in a high-rise with a balcony attached.
You sit outside to enjoy the spectacular view you paid for and have invested so much into, to be able to experience it on a daily basis.
As you sit there, you notice a faint reoccurring smell. It's the smell of cat shit! The owner of the high-rise has a flat available for him in his own high-rise and he has got a cat - a jaguar to be precise - and have put its litterbox on his balcony, and the gentle gusts of wind are carrying the smell over to where you are placed - enjoying your view.
The smell pulls down your experience of your outside view drastically.
Some neighbors in the high-rise will elect to stay indoors on the worst of days and secretly dream of the day the cat dies. But with their nine lives and longevity, others will elect to sell and move on. Some will elect to confront the owner, only to discover that the owner has no intention of changing the placement of where his cat shits. He prefers his current setup and is quite adamant that you refrain from ever bringing it up again and that you align yourself with the status quo, as he is rightfully within his rights to do as he pleases with his cat and litterbox for as long as he chooses.
And in this stale and rather toxic relational environment, you have kids growing up. Who will find it hard to find fertile ground for growing into the person they're meant to become. Some stagnate, some decline. Others elect to move out - and you see them flourish from afar, wishing you'd seen it happen here close to home.
I believe that the cat litter box absolutely needs to be removed. The best would be if the cat got sent out to pasture someplace else, preferably on a completely different continent.
But with the cat gone, you will have to relate to your owner for as long as he elect to remain the owner of our high-rise. And he seems inept at 'reading the room' and have no intentions of bridging the gap between himself and his tenants. So it's on us alone to do the bridging unfortunately.
We might be able to make up for the gap that exists between ourselves and our owner - by strengthening the bridges between ourselves. We have a common foe - and that can strengthen the bonds between us.
And for us to do that - it's good to air reality as it has been done with this article and the likes of it - so we see things for what it is. But it's also vital to be able to lift our heads and look for positives for the sake of the kids we're responsible for, so that we create an atmosphere - and a fertile ground - for them to thrive within.
And I think we're quite good at this already :D I certainly feel connected with the rest of our community in the high-rise and I share in the frustration of 'what could have been' and what most likely will occur when kids do not develop like we intend for them and some - with their custodian - opt to leave for a healthier environment.
So how could one make this owner change his ways? Is it even possible? Will we ever see the cat be moved on? Can we somehow make the owner change the litter box position? Or are we stuck with the challenge of making it all work as best as possible until the owner decides to sell and move on? And the question is; if we don't thrive with this arrangement, how can we make our kids thrive? Can we create an atmosphere to thrive within that makes up for the cats presence and the awful smell from his litterbox?
I think we could. We have to make it work. If not our kids will be worse off, move and other kids - who's up to no good - will move into our high-rise and the whole high-rise might spiral downwards in societal terms, giving us more headache and things to sort to get back to where we were.
So let's not plaster over the awful smell. Lets acknowledge it - it needs to be dealt with. But simultaneously; let it not dominate everything good we have :)