I wouldn’t dream of gagging Ream
HARD FALL: Fury in his title fight against Klitschko FULHAM manager Slavisa Jokanovic has backed Tim Ream after the ‘honest and positive’ defender claimed that some of his team-mates might not be up for a relegation battle.
The Cottagers have won only once this season and have conceded a Premier Leagueworst 25 goals. Today they host Bournemouth, who knocked four past Watford in their previous away game.
In the wake of last Saturday’s 4-2 defeat at previously winless Cardiff, Ream admitted that “those outside the club are questioning do we have the fight, do we have the grit, do we have the determination? At this moment I’d have to say no. There are not enough guys who want it, who want to fight for each other, for themselves, for the club.”
But Jokanovic refused to criticise the American, instead saying: “I understand he wanted to encourage the team to push harder and look for more determination.
“I didn’t interpret them as negative words. He wanted to say, ‘Come on lads, it’s not enough, you must do more and be better. We must push harder, on the players’ side, on the staff’s side, for all the sides, for finding improvement’.
“Tim is always positive and tried to encourage the team, our club, our supporters, to trust in ourselves, be brave and believe we can offer different afternoons in Craven Cottage.
“We’re going to fight to offer something different, like what we offered last season many times – this is our target and this is our desire and we are working in this direction.”
And Jokanovic claims he has no intention of gagging his players. “I don’t have any problem because I understood
SPORT IN BRIEF
his words as a positive message,” he said. “I talked to Tim and he made some honest analysis about our situation and he’s a great example of a professional player.”
Bournemouth are sixth after losing just two of their first nine matches but boss Eddie Howe is refusing to think about Europe.
“I don’t think it is healthy for me to sit here and dream,” he said. “It is healthy for me to act and help the players any way I can. Dreaming is almost a bit of a waste of time and energy. It’s trying to make those dreams happen by actions. It is very much small steps, let’s not get carried away. “I have seen many teams start well and then fall away and have a tough end to the season. This league is so difficult that can happen to anybody.” Howe has also hailed record buy Jefferson Lerma as a bargain. He paid £25million for the Colombian international from Levante in the summer and the midfielder has played a pivotal role for the Cherries.
Howe said: “I cannot sit here and say only £25m! Maybe at other clubs but not this one. But certainly when you compare other prices for other players it is looking like a good price for us. He has done very well, I’m hugely impressed.
“It is very difficult to come to a new league and overcome potential language barriers, a new playing style and not knowing his team-mates.
“He has had a lot of challenges to overcome and to prove he can deal with.”