‘YOU WOULD ALL MAKE MY FATHER PROUD’
Leicester get a Top promise
GRIEVING Leicester vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha has vowed to continue his tragic father’s “mission” with their Leicester “family”.
Aiyawatt (right), known as Top, has assumed control of both the club and
SLAVISA JOKANOVIC admits Fulham owner Shahid Khan is not happy with the club’s start to the Premier League season.
Cottagers manager Jokanovic met Khan (below) following Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth which took their winless run to seven top-flight fixtures, including four successive defeats.
Jokanovic said: “He wasn’t satisfied, just like me and our supporters, but the situation is in our hands.
“We must accept the criticism because we need to be strong enough to understand that negative comments are part of football. We must be brave and push hard to find a solution.”
As revealed by Mirror Sport, there has been concern behind the scenes over Jokanovic’s tactics. So far this season the Cottagers, who visit Manchester City in the Carabao Cup tonight, have managed just one win, against Burnley in August. They have also conceded 28 goals after 10 games, equalling a Premier League record and giving them the leakiest defence in Europe’s top five leagues.
In addition, Jokanovic has changed his defence in every one of Fulham’s 12 games this season. Sergio Rico, who played against Bournemouth, was the third keeper they have used in the top flight.
Centre-half Tim Ream (left) has caused a stir in the Fulham dressing room by claiming that some of his Craven Cottage team-mates are not committed enough. The American defender, player of the season during their promotion-winning campaign, pulled no punches after the 4-2 defeat at Cardiff 11 days ago as he addressed their nightmare run of form.
“I don’t think it has anything to do with the manager,” he said. “We’re not playing for ourselves or for one another. There’s no togetherness, no fight amongst the group. It’s not acceptable to just cave in and roll over.
“We’re not a team, we’re a group of individuals who don’t look like they want to stay in this league.”
But his comments have put noses out of joint, with some players feeling they are being made scapegoat for their manager’s tactics. It is the latest setback in a troubled season for a club where so much was expected after a £100million summer spending spree.