by Andrew Rogers

Last season you pulled off a miraculous relegation escape, what are your thoughts looking back?

I have absolutely wonderful memories, we were good enough to go down to Fratton park and get a result that day. Fortune smiled on us and it will long be a day that will be in the hearts of Fulham supporters for a long long time.

You had some impressive wins early in the season, but have been struggling recently…

The performances have not shown us to be on the slide but the result have. The major factor is we have not scored as many goal as our play has merited, and I think this has to do with the fact that Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora have only played a few games together.

It’s early in the season for them so it would be wrong to say I’m concerned but I’m not concerned in the longer run that is not the case, the sooner we can break this run, with some victories that would be fantastic.

How are thing going on the training ground?

The attitude has been first class on the training ground, this new group of players I have put together, it has been 1st class from the first day. We have had 3 one goal defeats that have knocked us back but if we keep going like this the situation will be resolved.

You managed in Milan will David Beckham fit in well at the San Siro?

Yes I’m sure he will. He is an interesting signing I don’t know the details, but he is a first class player and a it’s a first class club, I can only congratulate them on the coup.

Would you have signed him?

A player like him and the money he earns, and the level he plays at, I don’t think it would work for us, I don’t  think it would be the right suggestion to think we can improve our play in that way, we have to work with the squad we have got to make us better.

You said you are playing well but not getting the results, when will the team’s form change?

It depends on the mental strength of the players when you are winning people heap praise on you and when you are losing you have to be strong enough to withstand the situation.

After 20 games we had 13 points, we will be along way ahead of that last season. I’m not prepared to put them under any pressure other than what is expected of them, and they have been doing that this far, and I know that will bring its rewards.

It’s up the them to be strong, the coaching staff can be strong but its up to the players, as a football players you have to accept that responsibility and the criticism that comes with it, it’s the nature of the business.

You want to avoid a repeat of last season it was too close for comfort…

Of course, we are a stronger team and squad this year and we think we are improving all the time, you have to believe in football that if your player work well, that it will bring results, if it really is the toss of the coin and the luck of the occasion and how hard you work has no baring, then it is a sad situation.

We know we work very hard, and that the players are extremely professional in their preparation, and must continue to believe that will bring results.

Has the situation been discussed?

We talk about it, you have your coaching role and leadership role as a manager. As a leader you have to make certain you lead people in the right direction, and reduce the pressure on them went it is being applied, and keep working then hard to keep their feet on the ground when the results are flying and going there way.

Is it an annual problem for clubs like Fulham?

Yes but we are in good company, there are four untouchables, but apart from that teams can finish 5th of 6th and find themselves fighting a relegation battle the next year. There is no reason why a team who is fighting relegations cannot find itself in 5th or 6th the following season.

What about ambitions for this club, is Europe a possibility?

I think it is too early to discuss this, it would be good to have that ambition and while you are in the premier league it is good to have that ambition but after last year, our target is to stabilize the club, and make certain we are not in the predicament that our survival depends on winning our last 3 games of the season having only won 5 games from 35. That’s our target, if that works well and we grow as a team, the next step is to push on from there.

Fulham’s away form really is not that good, can you turn it around?

What concerns me is this season is we have not got anything, from our away games, and we should have at least one point from each of the games, but over the season these things even out and I am expecting us if we keep playing the way we are playing whether its away or home will get the right results over the longer term.