CHRISTIE HAPPY TO BOMB ON FOR WHITES
DON’T be too surprised to see Cyrus Christie blazing a trail into opposition territory for Fulham by the end of the season.
He arrived at Craven Cottage from Middlesbrough in January expecting to compete for a place at right-back with fellow 25-year-old Ryan Fredericks.
But boss Slavisa Jokanovic has told Christie he may soon opt to play both men at once, with the Republic of Ireland international shifted forward to the right wing.
“I’ve played there before. The manager has mentioned it to me as well. He’s mentioned centre-half and left-back, too,” said Christie.
“I’ve played in all those positions over my career. I started as winger.
“He’s mentioned about me and Freddo playing on the same side, and I think it will be good considering the attributes we both have.
“But it’s up to the manager. I have to keep training hard and impressing him, and showing him what I’m capable of and regaining my match fitness.
“We can only go from strength to strength now as a team.”
After falling out of favour under Tony Pulis at Boro, former Coventry and Derby man Christie moved to Fulham on the final day of the January window for an undisclosed fee.
His debut came as Jokanovic’s men drew 1-1 with Bristol City in midweek – and Christie is pleased to have put a Riverside stint that became ‘bizarre’ behind him.
He said: “I wasn’t getting in the team there and wasn’t getting a chance.
“Sometimes, you didn’t even train with the starting XI, which was quite bizarre. Then he [Pulis] would throw you in and you don’t know what he wants from a player, so that was obviously quite tough.
“I enjoyed my six months there, but the opportunity at Fulham came around and it was one I wanted to take.”