OWLS ARE WISED-UP THIS TIME
To say the Serb has unfinished business in the top flight would be an understatement.
Jokanovic became only the second manager to win promotion to the top flight and not start the following season in the same job.
Bruce Rioch holds the same distinction, but only because he was headhunted by Arsenal.
Jokanovic’s journey with Watford was almost over before it began.
Seven months, in fact, when a pay dispute saw him axed just weeks after leading them up.
He never got the chance to mould a team but – via a stint in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv – returned hungry to repeat the dose at Fulham.
And, at Craven Cottage, he has got his feet under table.
Introducing a shift in playing style, along with a major overhaul of the playing staff, the former Chelsea midfelder has guided Fulham into the play-offs and they will undoubtedly be the team to beat. He said: “I don’t look back. What happened with Watford happened. It’s all past now. I don’t cry about it.
“I had a successful time there, but I chose to go Maccabi and I did well as they qualified for the Champions League group stages.
“Every club is different. Here, compared to Watford, it has been a different project. They had a strong squad and were prepared and equipped for promotion. It just needed some tweaking.
“At Fulham, we had to make many changes. The club struggled last season, but I knew, with time, we would get it right. Everyone is pushing in the same direction, but we must remember we haven’t done
BILL COOPER CARLOS CARVALHAL is backing his “promotion experts” to make sure Sheffield Wednesday succeed where they failed a year ago – and send the Owls soaring back to the Premier League.
A naive Wednesday sunk to a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat by Hull in the Championship play-off final last May.
But this time boss Carvalhal insists his Hillsborough heroes have got the experience to see them go one better.
The Owls host top-six rivals Fulham today in the final fixture anything yet.” Jokanovic has brought some much-needed stability to the west London club.
Madcap manager Felix Magath was never the right man for the job, despite Fulham keeping faith with the German following their relegation in 2014.
Kit Symons was a popular figure before a string of poor results saw him inevitably fall on his sword. Jokanovic is a mix of the two – but, significantly, has produced the goods.
His work has not gone unnoticed and was recently recognised when he was nominated alongside Antonio Conte (above) and Mauricio Pochettino (below) for the Manager of the Year at the London Football Awards.
Jokanovic aims to be rubbing shoulders with the pair next season and said: “With luck and hard work, hopefully, I will have an opportunity to battle with these people. In my time here, we have made big strides.
“We can always improve, but it would be massive to get Fulham back to where they were. They were in the Premier League for years. I remember when I was playing for of the regular season, and Carvalhal said: “We now have a lot of players who have been promoted with teams before, like Ross Wallace, Steven Fletcher, Gary Hooper, Fernando Forestieri and Daniel Pudil.
“They are experts in taking teams up – and they have the winning mentality we have built.
“It’s the desire that I want, and now all my players like to win and have this attitude all the time.
“When our team loses a game, it is not a drama. But the players feel the results very strongly. They like winning a lot Chelsea and it was always a big game against Fulham. You want the fans to experience that buzz again.” Jokanovic has already managed in six countries. He has enjoyed success, but taking Fulham up would be the highlight of an everimproving CV. It’s little wonder West Ham are among the growing number of admirers. For now, Jokanovic only has eyes for Fulham. And the stats are in their favour ahead of the end of season shootout. Before today’s final game, at fellow play-off side Sheffield Wednesday, no other team has scored as many goals. And no other team in the play-offs can call upon the energy, pace and passing ability that can cut open any side at the second level in a split second. Fulham are the bookmakers’ favourites and Jokanovic, who signed a two-year contract extension in February, said: “I’m committed and I’m happy here. “I don’t think of anyone else. Why would I? The project has only just started. I want to be a Premier League manager with Fulham.”
We have made big strides, but haven’t done anything yet
and don’t like it when they lose. We must take these thoughts into the play-offs.
“It is important that we continue to do what we are doing with the same attitude.”
It’s 17 long and painful years since Sheffield Wednesday last graced the top flight, but there is a growing belief in the Blue and White half of the Steel City that this is their time.
Confidence is high at Hillsborough – though Carvalhal is taking nothing for granted as his side chase a return to English football’s top table.
He warned: ”We must control such emotions because everybody has responsibility and everybody knows we haven’t achieved anything yet.
“We will try to achieve what we couldn’t do last season, and we know we have some very tough opponents to overcome.
“But we don’t look to others – we look only to ourselves.”