ESPN Soccernet - Correspondents - Fulham- Another European Adventure

Posted by Phil Mison on 05/18/2011

At the risk of getting ahead of ourselves before actual confirmation comes through, some things for Fulham fans to ponder before a second Europa League campaign.

Since news broke Monday of an additional place coming England's way, I've been rethinking the implications for Fulham from a more positive angle of being back in Europe, albeit that this time round might require 23 games to lift the damn trophy, up from 19 two seasons ago. Written like that, the schedule - in addition to the testing 38 game EPL programme which must always remain paramount to preserve our seat at the top table - appears to be an absurdity.

In 2009 we began the journey on the road to Hamburg on July 30th in Vilnius. This year it is likely to be one month earlier for the Whites, with the 1st qualifying round set for June 30th. That's four days after the squad is due to report back to Motspur Park for pre-season, although those internationals committed to additional appearances for their countries can expect a little leeway in returning. As the first day of a new term is normally little more than every player being weighed, issued with kit and maybe taking a very gentle jog, you can see the Whites being way under-prepared for competitive action 3 days later on what will be a hot summer's day.

In Monday night's London paper Brede was quoted as saying he really didn't feel the players were being given enough time to recharge their batteries post Arsenal. Just five weeks off after a full-on 9 month season, six months of which were spent battling relegation? Reading Hangeland's column I was sure the Europa League again was something I could live without.

Or was I being too hasty? By Tuesday I was having a change of heart and canvassing opinion among the Black & White army. It all started when I read up on the Academy's well-deserved trip of a lifetime to Mauritius. All expenses paid luxury hotel no less. Well done the club for organising that one! Next part of the equation, Sparky's juggling act of trying to keep player's happy without being able to guarantee them game time. We all know who I'm talking about. And finally, how can those on the fringes of the first team impress the boss from sitting on the bench? Plenty of names therefore who could do a job for us in those early Europa rounds - Stockdale, Briggs, Greening, Gera (were he to stay), Halliche, Etuhu, Marsh-Brown, Trotta, Senderos, Kelly, Hoesen...

Rotation on the basis of the additional game opportunities would sure make for a vibrant bunch of players. Competing in Europe also gives us more cachet in the transfer market. Wherever your workplace, people respond to being involved and valued. It's the first rule of management to creating a winning philosophy. Motivational levels at the club would go through the roof and impact right down to the U-18's. How much more of a kick do you think the club workforce behind the scenes got out of turning up for work after those heady nights of last year's march to the final? The club was making headlines on an almost daily basis. How many more 'casual' football fans do you imagine were enraptured and won over by Fulham's fairytale progress?

Finally, what really convinced me to re-evaluate my jaundiced view of the Europa League, was to revisit all the photos and fan recollections of last year's episodic achievement. We are little old Fulham for heaven's sake! We've never ever got our hands on either of the domestic cups, only once have we ever stepped out at Wembley, and actually winning the league in which we play is a foolish pipedream. Yet here we are on the brink of competing on the European stage for a second time in three seasons. When I recall standing on the bleak, half-empty terraces of awaydays at Barnet, Aldershot, Southend, Wigan...and invariably watching us lose - what in God's name am I bellyaching about? Basle, Shakhtar, Juventus, Wolfsburg, Hamburg...we did not fluke those games. We just played the better football.

Three Europa League qualifying rounds in high summer...bring it on I say! Preferable surely to friendlies with the likes of the MK Dons and Bounemouth any day. I can't promise I'll be making the journeys to distant corners of Europe just yet - bet the dedicated few who made it over to Lithuania 2 years ago for the 3-0 win over Vetra (and what a team we put out that day - Woy chose his first XI) never surely dreamt then they'd actually be going to the final.

Ah yes, Vilnius. Jumping off point for Napoleon's march on Moscow in 1812. Watch out Europe, the Whites are coming back!

Twitter@fulhamphil

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Comments

Posted by Duncan on 05/18/2011

You can count me among the group that started following the Whites during the last European adventure. While it does concern me that we are starting so early (several members of the squad have spoken about it), I don't see why the opening rounds couldn't be used like friendlies would normally. I'm reasonably sure that our second XI could comfortably take most any side we'll see at that stage of the competition. I know I'd love to see what Dalla Valle could do in Europe.

Posted by Jessica on 05/18/2011

I am still relatively new to all of the intracacies of European football, but if chosen I see no reason not to give a good effort. It is a marathon schedule and something UEFA should look at going forward, but the last European campaign allowed fringe players to have their turn- Riise, Okaka, Kamara- and they did just fine. And I will always remember where I was for the Chip Shot Heard Round the World. I think if you ask the players, the majority would say the experience did a world of good for them professionally as well as for their countries. Just look at Forlan. If selected, I say march on! You never know what can happen...

Posted by fraught_with_peril on 05/18/2011

Stand up if you still believe!

We should go for it, and, as you note, Phil, Sparky should spread the love, particularly in the qualifying rounds. Our regulars do need a good lay-down to recuperate from the season; there is no doubt that they are entitled to that and that we will need them to have had that lay-down as we move through the 2011/12 Premier League.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves, though. I think our yellow-card (and V-sign) escapades of the past two matches have certainly put us behind Spurs in the Fair Play table and have blown more than two thirds of our 0.12 point advantage over Blackpool for the slot should it come our way.

Seriously, when was the last time you saw a team attract five yellow cards in the last half hour of a non-competitive, non-contentious match when the other team didn't attract any cards (as we did Sunday at Brum)? Trying to avoid Europa as best as I could tell.

We will need to be on good discipline Sunday. And go Spurs -- win for fifth.

Posted by 'Sota Dan on 05/20/2011

Totally off topic here, but what are your thoughts on this incredible upcoming "relegation weekend." The bottom of the table is so close. I'd like to see Blackpool stay up. Blackpool's football has been open and fun to watch at times. Plus, Holloway is good for sound bites, right?

Blog Central: Forecasting is a mug's game. Unless your name is Mark Lawrenson and the BBC are crass enough to pay you over £100,000 per year for, well frankly, offering up nothing of interest at all! Look where this 'expert' sits in the BBC chart for the season alongside all those guest pundits who've consistently outguessed him. Anyway, for what it's worth Jamie Redknapp and I are of the same opinion. Blackpool go down with Birmingham, Wigan get something at Stoke to survive.

Posted by stefan on 05/21/2011

not quite, tottenham may still jump if we keep getting cards... still no red though.

I do believe that we will need more players for depth in the early rounds, but i love seeing what the team can do when they play weaker opponents. it makes it feel like Man U playing portsmouth (just unfair).

i do hope that Fulham can manage a trophy next year, but the players need to stop complaining if they want that great result. that being said, i think they have done an AMAZING job for a team with such a trivial bank account.

Do you think we make any big signings this summer to help alleviate the situation (I know Zoltan already stated that he is gone) I was hoping we would pick up Shaun Wright Phillips, or at least someone that won't take Dempsey's spot. when 23 has a good day, we usually get nasty (*do really well). please let me know what you think.

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