That’s enough for me. Parker out

[fulhamben]

I don't see the logic in getting rid of SP, does anyone really expect that a manager who is out there available is going to improve our position. There is not enough players in the squad good enough to take us into the Premier, far too many unforced errors, and a back line in the main is powder puff and without any leader to Marshall the defence. We have a thin squad that is already stretched. Still plenty of games to go to turn it around, if we can bring in some reinforcements, but the evidence so far is that the team is too milky and a soft touch, that there is no doubt, and too many loans undermines the the teams appetite and desire. We can still make the play offs, but that's about as far as we will go, but sacking SP will serve no purpose but to jump out of the frying pan into the fire. If we were down in the bottom half I could understand some anger, but a manager is only as good as the players he has under his command.
Take away the cheque book from a lot of successful managers, and suddenly they are not immortal after all, bringing in another manager will compound the problem not solve it. There is no quick fix.

did you read my post fully woolly? I said it's not about position but more the fact that it's a chore to watch us nowadays. Can you honestly say you enjoy watching a Parker team? If your answers no, then how can you defend him

I understand your point Ben but what if fulham were top and as dull as dishwater? many say results are all that matter, hes getting them to a point so far this season.

honestly I'm not sure if I could tolerate it or not if we were actually in contention, and sadly I will never know now. But after last season, enjoyment of the match day experience is far more important to me than what league we are in. I had more fun back in the old fourth division than I am now, hell I've even sent the missus with the kids to watch us most of the times this season as I just can't bring myself to sit through it anymore

[Woolly Mammoth]

Who are these embarrassment of riches, where is the evidence to show we have an embarrassment of riches.  What are we rich in then exactly. We are not going to storm this Division because we have not got an embarrassment of riches. We may flatter to deceive at times but we have a defence that can be an embarrassment, but not particularly rich. We should be good enough to hold onto a place in the play offs if we can keep down the error count, but too many players go missing too often when the going gets tough. The manager was not responsible for Odoi getting sent off once again. There are still 75 points to play for, plenty of time to get our act together, and plenty of opportunities next month to improve the squad, but an embarrassment of riches is not how I would describe it. Because we would not have lost to Barnsley and Stoke if we had.

[fulhamben]

Who are these embarrassment of riches, where is the evidence to show we have an embarrassment of riches.  What are we rich in then exactly. We are not going to storm this Division because we have not got an embarrassment of riches. We may flatter to deceive at times but we have a defence that can be an embarrassment, but not particularly rich. We should be good enough to hold onto a place in the play offs if we can keep down the error count, but too many players go missing too often when the going gets tough. The manager was not responsible for Odoi getting sent off once again. There are still 75 points to play for, plenty of time to get our act together, and plenty of opportunities next month to improve the squad, but an embarrassment of riches is not how I would describe it. Because we would not have lost to Barnsley and Stoke if we had.

again are you actually reading these threads? No one as far as I can see has mentioned an embarrassment of riches. And I'll ask again, do you enjoy watching a Parker team

[Spirit of 2000]

The fact is we have a squad with talent enough to be top 3 ... we are ... just but an absolute mile off the 2 above us. The 4 match winning run papered over cracks, Brum away was an awful scrappy game & we created little, we could have been dead and buried after 15 mins vs QPR, Derby performance was decent but against a side who were dreadful, Swansea outplayed us for long periods. Similarly having the best striker in the squad had papered over cracks as Mitro's class at this  level has dug us out of games that we would have lost with a lesser man leading the line. Our style is not fluid, it's slow and lacks end  product & is generally dull as the Wilkins & Bracewell sides to watch (2 squads that went on to smash their respective divisions under decent attacking managers in the following seasons) - opposed to the "I see no reason to sack Parker" argument - I personally see little compelling reasons to keep him, other than the players generally "like" him (as opposed to respect and buy into his tactically approach) - I'm sure the players "liked" Bracewell & Wilkins, that latter (RIP) who was well known as a really lovely fella.

IF we make the playoffs (not certain, but what is 95% certain is that the auto's have gone as early as pre Xmas) - then Parker isn't the dogged, gritty type of manager to fight through to success. We would be better off bringing in someone else now to give us a fighting chance in the playoffs and even if we fail to go up, we start the building process for the future under a manager who has the quality to take us forward - I genuinely believe Parker is way off that pre-requisite. Not only his style and lack of cutting edge in this painful possession with not enough end result is a problem but now he seems unable to pick a balanced and decent  side. Knockaert has been a liability for about 2 months now, I've no idea how he's getting games - he's been a massive disappointment amongst those players to arrive. Onomah ... I do not see what he offers in any sense. Yes we have had injuries in central midfield but surely Matt O'Riley has more about him than Onomah, even a now past it & painfully slow KMac would offer more.

I can easily see us taking this 2 match losing run to a 4 match one with Brentford & Leeds up next .... personally wouldn't even give Parker those matches to put us back out of the playoff places, but surely lose those and even the stubborn Tony Khan must act to sack Parker. With Hector coming into the reckoning from 1st Jan, maybe some hope remains for the defence if we pair the least terrible of Ream / Mawson with him.  Personally am thinking the former - as we have seen he can be a decent player at this level, Mawson was abysmal last night & I've seen nothing of the player who was allegedly on the fringe of an England call up at Swansea. Get Harrison Reed back fit an in that midfield, Kamara or Kebano in for Knockaert (Can we not cancel his loan?) and let's have a run at it for the rest of the season under a new man.

[KJS]

You do realize that we were without Cairney, Arter, Reid, Reed, Sess, MLM & a half fit Bryan. What other team selection could SP have made. What guarantee of promotion would there be in replacing SP now. There is no one available out there that I would want. It would be a backward step. New manager, coaches, tactics unrest in the squad. No thanks.

Totally agree no team in this league would cope with the loss of a total mid field and to call for Parkers head is a joke and remember the same team that beat us on Saturday lost last night at home to Millwall a team we stuffed when all of our key players were fit!
Take a reality check and get behind the team instead of bloody whinging all the time!
We are after all in the toughest league to get out off in ti's Country

[FulhamStu]

We have a squad packed with players who are absolutely proven top Championship quality.  Mitro, Cairney, Cav, Knock, Reid, Arter, add to that really solid players like Reed, StefJo, Bryan....   however coaching them is a totally unproven individual in his first ever managers role...

Seems a bit odd ?    Ask yourself would we have better results with the WBA or Leeds coach in charge ?  Would a proven coach like Houghton or Big Sam have got more points on the board ?   I think I know the answer.

Why have we spent so big on the squad but risked it all on the man in charge ?

[Spirit of 2000]

You do realize that we were without Cairney, Arter, Reid, Reed, Sess, MLM & a half fit Bryan. What other team selection could SP have made. What guarantee of promotion would there be in replacing SP now. There is no one available out there that I would want. It would be a backward step. New manager, coaches, tactics unrest in the squad. No thanks.

Totally agree no team in this league would cope with the loss of a total mid field and to call for Parkers head is a joke and remember the same team that beat us on Saturday lost last night at home to Millwall a team we stuffed when all of our key players were fit!
Take a reality check and get behind the team instead of bloody whinging all the time!
We are after all in the toughest league to get out off in ti's Country

Preston had worse injury problems and a thinner squad than us - it's no excuse. Why the talented Matt O'Riley hasn't been given a chance over the non entity which is Onomah is beyond me - as is selecting Knockaert ahead of Kebano/Kamara based on form & then not subbing him last night when he was beyond appalling.

[Southdowns White]

If Parker stays we will probably lose Mitro at the end of the season, If we bring someone in, he may or may not do as well as Parker, If that person gets us up we will be lost again in the premiership. This team is a long way from Premiership standard, if someone with more Knowledge than me can list the current players who are ready for that step I can only think of two, and one of them is a goal keeper. I say stick with Parker for the moment, the season will be written off in a couple of months and start looking for someone more long term when there is no chance that we can go up. We are a physically weak team, I imagine that's why Parker continues with Onomah. To get out of this division your team needs skill or strength or a mixture, My personal opinion is we lack both. We need some changes of staff both on and off the pitch, there are players in this division who could do a job for us under a new manager, just not yet.

[Robbie]

We are third!

[Spirit of 2000]

If Parker stays we will probably lose Mitro at the end of the season, If we bring someone in, he may or may not do as well as Parker, If that person gets us up we will be lost again in the premiership. This team is a long way from Premiership standard, if someone with more Knowledge than me can list the current players who are ready for that step I can only think of two, and one of them is a goal keeper. I say stick with Parker for the moment, the season will be written off in a couple of months and start looking for someone more long term when there is no chance that we can go up. We are a physically weak team, I imagine that's why Parker continues with Onomah. To get out of this division your team needs skill or strength or a mixture, My personal opinion is we lack both. We need some changes of staff both on and off the pitch, there are players in this division who could do a job for us under a new manager, just not yet.

I agree with a number of points in your post but would say that Mitrovic & AK47 are anything but physically weak, Matt O'Riley is 6'2" and a long way from weak and surely better than Onomah, Harrrison Reed, Harry Arter, Stef Jo aren't weaklings either – where we are physically weak is in the wrong area – defence, and particularly the CB's get bullied every week. Agree that this squad isn't good enough for the premier but would say Mitrovic certainly good enough, Rodak potentially good enough, Cairney technically good enough, but it's maintaining balance to fit him in that's the challenge for us as a side who will be relegation battlers at that level. Harrison Reed I believe is good enough, young enough & hungry enough should we sign him permanently to make it there. Cav I think would be fine at that level in a more fluid side that attack with greater incision & pace than we do under Parker. However certainly a re-build of the defensive unit badly needed. Sheff Utd have proven you don't need a stunning array of talent in the squad to survive & prosper there. Ollie Norwood is a star for them and was a squad backup player for us. A team spirit and solid foundation are musts though & I don't see Parker as a manager who will instil those qualities – so I find it pointless to allow him to continue, when he's clearly not the man to take us forward, the board should at very least be actively looking for his replacement right now.

[Spirit of 2000]

We are third!

A mile off the auto's and we won't be 3rd after the Brentford & Leeds games!!

[snarks]

Well that's it, a clear relegation on the cards, worst defence, worst number of goals scored, lowest shots, lowest passes, no decent goal scorer, we might as well just slit our wrists now and save the pain.

[SuffolkWhite]

Well that's it, a clear relegation on the cards, worst defence, worst number of goals scored, lowest shots, lowest passes, no decent goal scorer, we might as well just slit our wrists now and save the pain.

:005: 0001.jpeg Fans do need to vent somewhere though so it might as well be on fof.

[supersimmo123]

All the posts saying we are 3rd, within 2 games I think its highly likely we will be out of the top 6. The chasing pack are in good form, Brentford, Sheff Weds and Cardiff. I think we could see within 3/4 games a swing where we are 3/4 points away from the top 6. At this stage TK will have no choice but to part with Parker in my opinion.

[Mullers OG]

The supporters seem to be fairly evenly split on the manager.  I don't think the squad is all that bad.  The problem is the style of play and the team selection.  Like many others on this forum I find the team this year simply boring.  There is almost nothing which excites me to watch them.  We are slow and obvious in our build up and porous at the back.  Add to that the fixation of playing Onomah and Kamara, neither of whom are anywhere near the required standard, and we have the tedium of the last two matches.

It may be better with Hector, Reid and Reed but it may not be.  Kebano has been excellent when he comes on.  Why so late?  Ayite has been missed.  SJ has been the standout performer. 

I would give the manager more time to try to sort it out but I would like to see some signs soon that he realises the mess and does something to correct it.  Otherwise I, and I suspect many other long term season ticket holders will simply cease bothering to attend.

[itombomb]

What bothers me is that we are all upset and we are 3rd. The reason is that we should be running away with this division and we would be if Joka was running the show. It is so frustrating and I just hope that this isn't a season lost

We shouldn't be running away with the division, we've got a good squad, but it isn't Wolves 2 years ago.

But we should be doing a lot better than we are and properly challenging Leeds and West Brom. 3rd place doesn't tell the story of how poor we've been playing at time.

I'd like to get someone better in, but also think that if he doesn't win at least one of the next 2 he has to go.

[bill taylors apprentice]

Is it the managers fault if individuals don't make the most of their ability?
In isolation probably not but there's a pattern and even when we win the problems still exist!

The injuries are not helpful but sloppy defending and wasteful use of the ball in attack time and again is the real problem, for want of a better word, there's a ruthlessness missing when both defending and in attack.

The buck stops with the manager when it comes to creating a winning mentality and this team doesn't have it!

[RaySmith]

I was there, and didn't think there was much between the  two teams last night, except  Preston looked that bit quicker and faster to the ball in the attacking third, and kept opening us up, despite the  best efforts of our defence, with  both Ream and Mawsome putting in good shifts.

But we  still keep losing possession in critical areas - giving the ball away. We made them look good, but they do have some quick, skilful players.


Odoi getting sent off didn't help obviously.

We huffed and puffed, but lacked that incisive clinical edge, that  could have turned our efforts into goals.

Well done to  my fellow Fulham fans for turning out in appalling weather - this was the epitome of a midweek game 'oop North, in a torrential rain soaked,  gale force wind blown,, deserted and hard to get to Preston, and  keeping up a great noise all night.

[Statto]

Why have we spent so big on the squad but risked it all on the man in charge ?

Really good question. I can only assume the Khans just thought that since almost every approach they've tried concerning managerial hires has failed, why not try this, the organic approach

[Statto]

Although with Brentford and Leeds coming up he could be looking at 4 losses in a row if he doesn't get something going, one loss away from my 5 losses in a row flag in the ground where managers really need to be sacked or a bloody good explanation given.

Good analysis