On Wednesday afternoon Martin Jol’s squad completed their final preparations ahead of Thursday evening’s UEFA Europa League Play-Off match against Ukrainian side FC Dnipro |(first leg).
Fulham’s squad are well aware of the rich rewards that come with qualification to the Group Stages, and one current player who admired Fulham’s last magical European adventure from the stands, Steve Sidwell, is hoping to be part of the action this season if Fulham can navigate their way past FC Dnipro.
“It’s great for the fans,” said Sidwell of the UEFA Europa League competition. “What they experienced a few years back was phenomenal – I came to a few games and they were fantastic. It’s a real buzz for the fans, they experienced a great run a few years back and they’ll want to go one better this time around, if we qualify.
“The Europa League is a tough competition to win. It’s a long road and there are a lot of games. It doesn’t matter what round of the competition you’re in or who you come up against – you’ve got to play the right way. The further you go into the competition, the harder it gets. We don’t take these games lightly, we train how we play. You’ve got to be professional.”
Should Fulham progress to the Group Stages of the UEFA Europa League, Sidwell expects Martin Jol to make full use of his squad and is hoping to impress the Manager in central midfield when the opportunity arises.
“With the Europa League on top of a Premier League season as well, you’re going to need a squad that’s going to be capable of dealing with both," Sidwell explained. "If we do qualify, I’m sure everybody’s going to be used.
“We’ve got a few additions in over the past few weeks so it takes time for them to bed in, I’m sure the Gaffer has a clear picture of certain personnel and formations that he’s looking to play.
“It’s a clean slate for everyone, when I came in January I hit the ground running and was able to play as few games and did well. The Manager’s come in, it’s time to impress and hopefully you can get in the starting line-up. If you don’t, you just try harder in training to try and get in the next squad.”
Catch the action live at the Cottage on Thursday night when the Whites face FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the UEFA Europa League Play-Off (KO 7.30pm). Tickets are on General Sale with adults from £5 and juniors from just £1!|