Manager Reaction
Tuesday 21 October 2014 23:59
Caretaker Manager Kit Symons revealed his pride for Fulham's never-say-die attitude after seeing his youthful team claw back a point against Rotherham.
Ross McCormack converted a penalty, Cauley Woodrow hit a special strike and Dan Burn scored a last-gasp header to bring the Whites level on three occasions to secure a draw.
Although Symons admits there is still more to come from the Whites in terms of quality, he believes he could not ask any more from his resilient players in terms of fighting spirit.
"It was a typical Championship game. A bit rumble and tumble, it was end to end, both teams had good chances and it literally could have gone either way," Symons said.
"The character was excellent from our players and I was very pleased. It's a bit like the Norwich result on Saturday.
"We've got some good players who play really well and pass the ball nicely but we didn't particularly do that. The character, resilience and never-say-die attitude is what makes you a good team.
"We've got great ability within that changing room, from some of the senior boys through to some of the young players, but if you haven't got that character and resilience to go with it, you aren't going to get too far.
"We've got that and we've shown it in the last two games. The ability is never in doubt. I've told the players in there, we will get better. We will keep getting better, because we'll do the work, week in week out, day in day out.
"We'll continue to improve. But if they've got that character and resilience that they've shown, that gives us a great platform to go on from."
The Whites fell behind to Alex Revell's 28th minute goal, which prompted protests from Fulham's defenders about the lack of an offside call but, on reflection, Symons believes the officials called all of the big decisions correctly.
"We've looked at [The first goal] again and it was probably level really, as it left his foot, so it was a bit of a close call. At the time, it looked, as it progresses, like he might be in an offside position," he added.
"Looking back at it, it was probably a good call from the linesman so I've got no complaints or arguments.
"[The penalty was a penalty] Absolutely, I don't think there's too much doubt about that. "The one at the end when Moussa Dembele heads it past the keeper, I don't think there's too much contact there. We appealed at the time but, having seen it again, I think the officials made the right call."
Symons made five changes to the starting line-up which defeated Norwich City at Craven Cottage in total, the most he has made for any match of his seven-game reign as Caretaker Manager.
It resulted in Fulham fielding eight players under the age of 23, but Symons revealed he never had any doubt that his youthful line-up were ready to step up to the occasion.
"We had a little bit of illness, a couple of injuries after the Norwich result on Saturday. The players gave their all. These are young players, but young players I know very, very well," said Symons.
"I know their character. Rotherham away on a Tuesday night is a tough place to come, but I was more than happy with the make-up of the team tonight that we would come and get something."
"In the end, we're very pleased with the points but also we could have gone and won it second half, quite easily.
"These are young players and, for certain young players, it would have been too much for them tonight but I know these boys inside out and they've got guts, as well as a great deal of ability so I knew I could trust them and they did me proud tonight."
For the Whites, attention immediately turns to the match with Charlton Athletic at Craven Cottage in less than 72 hours time.
"Games come thick and fast so it's going to be a squad effort," said Symons. "The boys that stepped in put a shift in for the team and I know I've got options now that we can use.
"There are a few aches and pains from here as well, so we'll get back late tonight. We'll reassess tomorrow afternoon when the boys come in from training and we'll go from there. We'll be ready."
Notice how he praised the officiating, went out of his way not to find fault with any call against us or for Rotherham? That's so smart, when calls have been, on balance, going against us in the past. Win them over with praise and respect. He's playing to human nature. If there has been some animus against FFC thus far by the refs, this helps to dispel it. They read the post mortems by the managers like everyone else. Well, done, Kit. Well done.
Totally right, forever Fulham, he's talking to the fans to trying to dispel any worries over lack of performance by accepting it, and making sure it's known that he's working on that specifically, and talking up the spirit in the camp, very sensible. Just hope the jobs made his soon, and put to bed all the speculation.
Great and very balanced interview....
Quote from: absent cottager on October 22, 2014, 03:49:26 AM
Totally right, forever Fulham, he's talking to the fans to trying to dispel any worries over lack of performance by accepting it, and making sure it's known that he's working on that specifically, and talking up the spirit in the camp, very sensible. Just hope the jobs made his soon, and put to bed all the speculation.
Either the bloke's got a degree in psychology or he just naturally knows how to handle people. I knew him as a player, that's all, but his short time as manager has opened my eyes. No wonder people were calling for his name to be in the frame.
