I don’t get no respect. I played hide-and-seek, and they wouldn’t even look for me.*
Sometimes it feels as if the media just aren’t interested in Fulham. The newspapers don’t get very excited about us, the regional news always seems to be discussing events elswhere, and we do always seem to be last on Match of the Day. And to be fair maybe we’re not a particularly interesting club for the neutral. Reasonably solid in the middle of the pack, winning a few, losing a few more, drawing even more in between. We haven’t been close to a goal of the month candidate all year, our football can be downright awful, and there are few extrovert media-friendly types with famous wives in our regular eleven. There’s no relegation battle, no inter-squad affairs (that we know of) and no scandalous behaviour late at night (aside from the miserable collapse in Sheffield the other week).
But perhaps things are changing. Moritz Volz seems to pop up on television every so often, the media liking the idea of a slightly quirky, self-deprecating young German with an easy manner and an exciting name. The same player scored the Premiership’s 15,000th goal too, which got a bit of attention, doubly so because it was scored at Stamford Bridge. 15,000 Voltz was plastered all over the press (and Fulham duly issued a commemorative photograph…).
It’s not just Volzy who’s getting attention though. Chris Coleman’s reputation is growing in the game. Those of us watching his team every week either fail to see the woods for the trees or have a better idea of his limitations, but the likes of John Motson are convinced that Coleman’s a wonderful young manager. It’s a view you hear more and more.
The team itself is starting to be recognised as halfway useful. No less a figure than Brian Glanville has talked up Wayne Routledge a couple of times this year, and Michael Brown’s stormer on Saturday was noted and lauded by the watching scribes. Simon Davies’ performances are drawing envy from the north-west, and everybody loves Brian McBride. McBride, Bocanegra and Dempsey of course add to our international appeal.
And if MOTD has largely overlooked us, Sky certainly haven’t. For reasons that are only just becoming apparent, we’ve been on Sky a huge number of times this year. Again, watching the team every week you wonder how this lovably inconsistent rabble can justify a national audience, but take a step back and realise that we’ve taken part in some scintillating games of football this year, a heady mix of quality play and madcap late scrambles. Audiences have had good value from us, which according to a TFI poster has not gone unnoticed among the television people in Asia, who rate us third behind Man Utd and Arsenal for pure entertainment.
So the signs are reasonable I think. We’ll never be a ‘big club’, but it is nice to sometimes hear the media acknowledging us when we’re doing well. None of this should matter particularly, but it is nice to note the slowly changing perceptions. Or have I imagined it?
*Rodney Dangerfield
Yes, I have had people make favourable comments to me about Coleman – as well a less favourable ones about our away form! I think there is a “wood and trees” effect in all this.
Call me a conspiracy theorist if you will, but I believe that there is an unacknowledged “script” that most media so-called pundits follow. It`s mostly the same story each year. Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd and Liverpool get the lion`s share of the attention. Below them, perennial “big” (but no longer very successful) clubs like Aston Villa, Spurs and Newcastle who receive an unwarranted amount of attention and praise.
Finally, one of the relegation candidates is marked out as the “nice-but-no-threat-to-anyone” club that can be patronised on their way down. Watford is this season`s example.
Other clubs are expected to know their place, unless Curbishley, Pardew or Redknapp is the manager.
Any smallish club that has the temerity to diverge from th escript receives . . . absolutely no airtime at all!
I don’t disagree with your sentiments at all. From a big picture perspective though, 32pts heading into March doesn’t warrant much attention. If I never looked at the table, I could never guess their position based on some of the showings. Injuries and too many conceded when points were in (or should have been in) hand. It’s frustrating given the caliber of some of the team performances and the strong years of a few. My optimism for next season remains although I feel much rests in Coleman’s ability to establish the squad – injuries aside, some of the changes have had a hint of indecision/inconsistency for me. To be in the same position (three points above 17th) a year from now is unthinkable.