Monk: Fulham pinnacle is a blueprint for future
GARRY Monk has described Birmingham City’s final-day overwhelming of Fulham as “the pinnacle” – but he wants such afternoons to be the rule rather than the exception.
Spurred on by a sell-out crowd, Blues ended both their relegation worries and Fulham’s automatic promotion hopes in a single dominant performance.
St Andrew’s rocked, the team played superbly and there was a feeling of euphoria reminiscent of the days when the club was in the Premier League.
Monk says it is the blueprint for next season.
“I know from experience it’s probably the best feeling you can have at a club,” he said. “Everyone wants it but every club is going through a different journey.
“We have been on one here three times in the last five years where we have been fighting relegation. That’s not an enjoyable experience.
“It means when you are doing that there are certain things that are wrong. You lose connection when things are going wrong. Part of the job coming in here was to try and connect it all again, or at least get it going in the direction.
“It’s not just down to me, it’s down to everyone. It’s for me to try and direct that and put that message out there to try and make people see how important that is.
“I know from experience when all connected.
“I have played and managed at clubs like that. I know the benefit from it. That’s what you want.
“Everyone at the club wants that and it gives you that extra special feeling when you are going into wins or drawing games – or even losing games – it still feels ‘We are all together’.
“The pinnacle against Fulham – that stadium, wow, what an atmosphere. What a feeling everyone had. That should be there for the club forever.
“That’s what we should fight for now we have got it to a level that’s good, got a bit of momentum with
it. it’s “We want to make sure when we go into next season we keep growing that and keep pushing that, no matter what the situation.” Part of the renaissance under Monk has been a virtuous circle, starting with the bold tactical selection of playing two up front. That has put Blues on the front foot, which has appealed to supporters who have in turn kept right on.
That has produced four wins and a draw in the last five home games, a record Monk wants maintaining.
“St Andrew’s has to be a fortress. You have to have that mentality from everyone,” he continued.
“I think the fans understood. I think they took that on board and the players took that on board. That’s why we got that.
“The whole point from the start was ‘Words are cheap, but if we put that into action you will see it’.
“Away from home we are going to have to do more than we have done. Bolton was a great experience of what we want to try and get that to.
“Even though we were a bit unlucky in a few situations away from home, we should have had more points.
“But all of things home and away we want to make sure it gets better next season. When we come back in we will give everything to make sure that happens.”
It was a far cry from a couple of months earlier when Blues struggled against Barnsley and Millwall.
Steve Cotterill was replaced after the defeat at Nottingham Forest and Monk said his rescue plan emphasised unity off the field and simplicity on it.
“When you come into that situation confidence is much lower than it should be normally,’’ he continued. “Clarity on certain things can often be clouded in judgment.
“People quite often don’t know the right path and everyone becomes a little bit separated in their thinking.
“One thing I grabbed on to straight away was the players and the staff were very conscious of the situation they were in and what needed to be done in terms of commitment.
“The biggest thing was commitment to the work we were going to do. We made it very simple. I think that’s the way players work best of all, when there is clarity in what they are doing.
“When you take that into every-day training, into matches, it becomes a bit easier. You are very clear with what you need to do. But No. 1 is the commitment, the hard work, it will always come down to that and everyone at the club has worked extremely hard in that short period of time.
“And we managed it not by scraping through but with good style, good positivity, good momentum, good feeling around the club – and that was the bonus.
“When I first came in, if you had offered me and everyone at the club staying up but relying on other results – everyone would have taken it. But the fact we did it on our own terms and the feeling of connection with everyone makes it all the better.”
Garry Monk