Jean Tigana has transformed Fulham into a Premiership club in all but name - by
ditching the gungho approach of Kevin Keegan.
As the London side welcome Manchester United for an FA Cup third-round tie on
Sunday, obvious comparisions will be drawn between this game and the fifth-round
match-up at Old Trafford just before Keegan signed on for national service with
England. If Tigana should be up to the tactical challenge presented by Sir Alex
Ferguson, motivating his players should take care of itself. The Frenchman isn't
likely to dip into the maudlin book of management, gathering his men round in
prayer-group style and imploring them to win one for the skipper. But only because
he knows that, for every Fulham player who takes the field, the near-fatal misfortune
of club captain Chris Coleman will already act as extra motivation.
Coleman's team-mates spoke at the training ground yesterday of the shock and
sadness caused by the car crash which could have killed the Wales international.
To a man, they promised that efforts would be redoubled against the finest team
in England.
Portuguese striker Luis Boa Morte said: 'We will miss Chris while he is recovering.
He has been a great player for us, no-one can doubt that. 'We want to win for
Chris because he is a great lad, not just a great footballer. He is a brilliant
person. Because of this, we want to give him a victory against Manchester United.
We are all very sad and we wish him all the best. We hope that he can recover
as quickly as possible.'
The loss of Coleman, an inspiration in the centre of defence this season, could
hardly have come at a worse time for his club. It may seem trite to worry about
a cup tie after such an appalling accident but, in pure footballing terms, the
absence of a captain who just happens to be their best defender has seriously
undermined Fulham's already slim chances.
Source soccernet