https://www.skysports.com/football/story-telling/11095/12041442/slavisa-jokanovic-exclusive-how-fulham-won-the-2018-play-off-final
Here are a few quotes from what is a lengthy article:
'I loved observing our fans. Seeing the joy in the people around me.'
'We are not talking about one day, though. We are not even talking about one season. It was two-and-a-half years of work. This was the final step after all that work.'
'We knew Aston Villa just like Aston Villa knew us but we had the extra time to refresh the players' minds about everything – about the set pieces, how to control the throw-in, about what would happen in the game, about our possession of the ball. Everything.'
'The FA offered us the chance to train the day before in the stadium but I did not accept this offer. We preferred to work at our training ground. But we did send people to check the dressing room, the number of steps to the pitch, the pitch itself. We checked everything.'
'Aston Villa were sending the message that they were the more experienced team and had played a lot of these important games. To defend my team, I admitted this was true, because it was true, but I said that we were younger with more energy and more desire.
'When I said this it became simplified in the media. The news was that I had said they were too old. It was just that I wanted to encourage my team and find the right words. To be honest, I did not want to say something like this. I just wanted to push my team.
Thankfully, it did not do us any damage.'
'We did not create a lot of chances and neither did Aston Villa. It was tough. It was not our best performance but it was our best game, a special moment for the team and the fans.'
'The difficult moment was the red card for Denis Odoi.
'Villa did not put us under great pressure in that final 25 minutes. I do not remember them being so dangerous. We made some changes to the team and the players did a good job.
'We had been working on it a lot, not only in the build-up but all year. I think it was more about the work that we had done throughout the year.
'We knew it was part of the game and we were prepared for this type of situation. The response of the team was perfect. The team had that great desire to take the last step.'
'Certainly, it is the most important game of Scott Parker's coaching career.
'I cannot tell him what to do. I am just a supporter now.
'I can only say that my desire is that they can make this final step this season. My hope is that Fulham can make themselves a stable, solid Premier League team in the future.
'This is the important step. I hope that they create a club that is a little bit different to the one that we created after our success two years ago. I hope and expect they will make it.
'The Fulham supporters deserve that.'
Interesting that Slav is still interested in Fulham.
What happened about the job at Birmingham, thought he was on his way there.
Be still, my beating heart...
I will never forget the times Slav gave us.
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Fabulous message from Slavisa.
True class from Slav. He should never have lost his job.
Do you think he would come back if asked .
I am not saying we should get rid of scott I am only asking if you think he would like to come back
Quote from: cooperiser on August 03, 2020, 06:37:58 PM
True class from Slav. He should never have lost his job.
Sadly he couldnt hack it in the Premiership
Quote from: cooperiser on August 03, 2020, 06:37:58 PM
True class from Slav. He should never have lost his job.
:plus one: He was dealt a poor hand in terms of transfers in and in terms of the time allowed to overcome what was an unhelpful influx of players.
Quote from: Southcoastffc on August 03, 2020, 08:18:32 PM
Quote from: cooperiser on August 03, 2020, 06:37:58 PM
True class from Slav. He should never have lost his job.
:plus one: He was dealt a poor hand in terms of transfers in and in terms of the time allowed to overcome what was an unhelpful influx of players.
Exactly.
There are only ever a few " class acts " and sadly they often don't get the rewards they truly deserve. Slav and Roy are both such men. Class acts all the way.