Fulham Head Coach Scott Parker was thrilled to see the work put in on the training ground carried out against Leeds United.
Fulham claimed a 2-1 victory to put an end to the visitors’ 11-game unbeaten run, thanks to a performance full of graft.
“Leeds are the most athletic, powerful team, but they’re the most structured and patterned team as well,” Parker explained. “The movements Leeds make are very scripted, and we studied Leeds for many games.
“You see the movements they make, and all week we drilled those movements, we drilled the team to understand what was coming, to know when the ball went in certain places that these are the movements they’ll make. We did that well.
“This team executed the gameplan and ultimately caused Leeds a number of problems today. The overriding feeling I have is pride.
“I spoke to these players before the game saying that, ‘you’re not getting judged today on technique, or on what a good football player you are.
There’s 20,000 coming here, myself, my staff, yourselves [the media], people are judging how you are as a man.
Can you stand up? Can you stand up when the chips are down, because the chips at this moment are down.’
“Your eyes don’t lie at football, and my eyes didn’t lie to me.
I saw a team on the front foot, aggressive, a team that needed to make a statement, a team that showed passion and a desire, and that’s what pleased me the most really.”
He continued: “I think that team today represented me and represented what this football club is about, and that’s what made me the happiest.
“I said to the players before the game, ‘we can lose football matches, we lost 1-0 last week, but there’s a way to lose.’
“Today we could have lost against a very, very good team, but ultimately I want to walk around the pitch, shake everyone’s hand and know that they’ve given everything, and they did that today.”
At the end of his press conference, without being prompted, Parker added: “One thing I do want to say is regarding the fans; I thought the fans were superb today.
“When the goal went in for 1-1, the stadium sometimes has been a little bit edgy and the players have felt that I think.
The stadium today was electric, and the fans were a massive part of this result and deserve this result.”