Fulham boss Lawrie Sanchez

Fulham's caretaker manager Lawrie Sanchez says he will be focused on The Cottagers throughout his contract with the club.

The Northern Ireland boss was given a 32-day contract earlier this week at Craven Cottage following Chris Coleman's sudden departure.

Sanchez has been entrusted with keeping Fulham in the Premiership and feels he is more than capable of hitting that 40-point safety target.

The ex-Wycombe manager is hoping to use the club's last five league outings to strengthen his chances of winning the job permanently next season.

"I took the job because I was asked. I've got a 32-day contract here," he said.

"When this opportunity came up, it was too good an opportunity to turn down. It's a challenge.

"For the next 32 days I'll be totally focussed on Fulham. We (Northern Ireland) don't play until August.

"I can concentrate on this job until the end of the season. I've always felt like a Premiership manager.

"Everyone will be assessing my trial, but it's not a bad trial to be having.

"If I was to win all five games I think I'd have quite a good justification to say I can do the job here.

"Likewise, if I were to lose all five games, there would be every justification to say you can't do the job here.

"Where in between it falls will decide whether I'm here or not next season.

"I know that I can do the international job and a top job at the same time. I think it is possible to do both.

"It's nice to be involved on a day-to-day basis. It's been very, very enjoyable. It's a lovely club.

"My job over the course of the next 32 days is to see Fulham safely into next term's Premiership.

"I would like to think we could achieve 40 points. That is the target. 40 points should be safe.

"The sooner we can get them the better. I wouldn't like go to Middlesbrough on the last day of the season having to look at fixtures around us."

Sanchez also reserved special praise for the Ireland Football Association for granting him permission to see out the season with Fulham.

The one-time Wimbledon star has no plans not to fulfil his contract with the IFA with the country currently top of Group F in the race for a place at Euro 2008.

"Once my association okayed it I was here, basically," he continued.

"The people at the IFA have been first class. They want the players as well as the managers to do as well as they can.

"They realise that it's a small association with great hopes. When the chance came, they wouldn't stand in my way.

"The proviso was they would like me to fulfil my contract. I want to do that. We're top of a group and we are in a situation where we could qualify for a major finals."