We have been getting ready for this game with laser focus, says Parker
►Going up is only measure of success, says Fulham manager ►Ex-midfielder tells of battle to build a more resilient team
The longest season in Fulham’s history has boiled down to one game, a winner-takes-all London derby against Brentford in the Championship play-off final, yet for manager Scott Parker it almost does not seem fair he will be judged solely on its outcome.
Fulham were expected to mount a promotion challenge after being relegated from the Premier League last year, but the Championship does not respect reputations or have any sympathy for what has gone on behind the scenes.
Of the three teams relegated from the top flight, Cardiff were beaten by Fulham in the play-off semi-final, while Huddersfield only narrowly avoided relegation to League One. The previous year, none of the three relegated teams were able to bounce back immediately.
Parker has stabilised and rejuvenated a Fulham side who won just seven games last season, but he will not be considered a success unless they beat Brentford.
“This game has been our focus for a year, it hasn’t just snuck up on us,” said Parker, who last led out a team at Wembley when he was England captain in 2012.
“Our aim was to get promoted, we could have gone up by finishing in the top two, if not we will go up via Wembley. We knew that goal, we knew where this journey was going to put us. We have had laser focus. To get here is an achievement but this group of players started this journey on day one, they knew what was expected.
“I fully believe in what we are doing, I fully believe in my squad to get a result. That’s exactly how I see it panning out. We have shown this season when we’ve needed to get a result, we have done that. We have stood up when we’ve had to.”
But what if they do not? What if their west London rivals, who have attracted most of the pre-match attention as they have never played in the Premier League before, win at Wembley?
“It has been a massive challenge,” Parker said. “Whatever way it goes, and I’m speaking for me here, what we have done in a short space of time is very special, but I will be judged on whether we are promoted or not. Win the game tomorrow night and that defines the season.
“I realised last summer that things were fragile, the club was fragile. The fans were distant from the team. We brought signings in to change the dynamic, I tried to change the culture and create a winning one. We’ve still got vast improvements to make but we have
come a long way. We wanted to bring the club back together a little bit and create an environment and culture which oozed we would be successful. All successful clubs and businesses come from that core foundation.
“But there is no magic formula, it takes time. We also knew we had to win football matches. On paper, we looked good, but I realised a long time ago that a team on paper isn’t successful and we have seen many teams on paper who fall out of the Premier League who suffer a double relegation or finish 14th or 15th in the Championship.
“Nine times out of 10 the reason for that is the culture at the club is the same as the one that got relegated the year before. They revert to type. We have shown resilience this season.”