ADOMAH DENTS KIT’S JOB HOPES
Symons waits for Cottagers boss call
MIDDLESBROUGH further highlighted their promotion credentials by watching Albert Adomah turn on the style – putting the brakes on Kit Symons’ attempts to land the Fulham job in the process.
After three wins in a row going in to the trip to the Riverside, the Cottagers’ caretaker boss could have done without losing before a decision is made on who will succeed Felix Magath permanently.
But, despite a spirited secondhalf display, a defeat was exactly what arrived Fulham’s way on Teesside, where Adomah was the star of the show to help Boro climb back in to the play-off zone.
The Ghanaian international helped tee up the first for Adam Reach just 34 seconds into the second half before adding the second himself eight minutes from time.
Adomah – and fellow winger Reach on the opposite side – sealed it for Middlesbrough as Fulham struggled to deal with their probing runs even before they had found the net each.
And Boro boss Aitor Karanka, whose side would have been top had they beaten Blackpool at home in midweek, said: “Albert is very important to us because he’s a leader on and off the pitch.
“He’s the kind of player I want because he can play in so many positions. Both he and Adam are playing really well.
“They played with good intensity and showed why they are important to us.
“But the whole team is improving every single day. We didn’t play well in the first half, though, because we are a team that need the ball.
“I’m very happy with our position in the table and pleased because our performance was very good.
“We played against a very good team who are working well with the new manager and will be in a high position at the end of the season.
“They have been winning so this was a difficult game for us. I want to be in that position at the end of the season – that’s my job.”
After a dreadful first half when Adomah was the only player on the pitch to come close to scoring when he hit the post from Ryan Fredericks’ cross, Symons was encouraged by the way Fulham responded to Reach’s opener.
Fulham hit the woodwork themselves during that spell when full-back Tim Hoogland headed a Ross McCormack cross against the bar.
The home side’s goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos also had to make a save to his right from McCormack.
Shortly after that Middlesbrough counter-attacked after soaking up some heavy pressure and Adomah was perfectly placed to turn in Kike’s centre to dent any hope Fulham had of returning to the capital with a point.
Symons, who has publicly admitted he wants the job on a full-time basis, now waits to see what impact this defeat has on his job prospects when owner Shahid Khan’s five-man committee meets to make an appointment.
He said: “I don’t know what effect it will have. I will just keep going and carry on. I’ve done several different roles at this club and done each to the best of my ability. I will do this one as long as is required.
“Conceding after a few seconds of the second-half didn’t help the cause, but we had three gilt-edged chances at 1-0 and at least one would have gone in on another day.
“Then we conceded another sloppy goal.
“I honestly believe we should have got something out of the game and I hope our fans could see we put in a lot of effort and guts.”