Next up was Blackburn Rovers where the league positions in his four seasons read as follows: 15th, 6th, 10th and 7th. It’s a good record for a club of Blackburn’s stature not to mention reaching three cup semi-finals. In fact, when they completed the 2005/2006 campaign in 6th place, they finished only two points behind Martin Jol’s Spurs side. He then joined Man City where they finished tenth in 2008/2009 before being sacked in December of that year and of course, led Fulham to a healthy 8th position last time around.
Now, this may sound silly, but even though I feel that Jol is the better man equipped to continue Fulham’s ‘successful journey’, as their chairman, Mohamed Al Fayed put it, I don’t think they will finish higher in the Premiership next season. One of the White’s most successful managers, Roy Hodgson couldn’t better his first league position of 7th in his second season as they came 12th, but as they reached the Europa League final, beating some of Europe’s giants on the way, this meant that they stamped their mark on the game thus boosting their profile whilst lending the players invaluable experiences, going through the highs and lows together.
People may say that it is the league that matters most and maybe it does, but I don’t think Fulham would have been the team they were last season without their glorious European run in the one before as it must have done wonders for their belief and self-esteem. It is a similar outlook that Roberto Mancini shares in acknowledging Manchester City’s FA Cup win and the buoyancy it will give his players – the feeling that success brings and the desire to replicate it. Despite Fulham being defeated 2-1 in the Europa League final by Athletico Madrid, the connection to Mancini’s philosophy is valid as it showed the players that they could compete with some of Europe’s finest despite not winning the trophy.
It can work the other way as well. Just ask Birmingham City; relegated after their glorious Carling Cup triumph over Arsenal. Although, it could be said that that was because they had injuries to some very key players and for a team who were already in danger, that was pivotal to their demise. Managers know the good that a cup run can do and Jol has a decent track record in them, reaching numerous semi-finals. He has a penchant for stylish football and also has a habit of nurturing young players into the first team, namely Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale, which can only be good for the club’s belief and resolve. So even if they finish below last season’s 8th place, they will surely be better off in the long-term with this philosophy in mind and with the added resources that are given to him from the board, Fulham are a club in safe hands.
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