Cardiff win but it’s still a fan Tan-trum
IT WILL take more than a vital win to make Vincent Tan popular in these parts. The Cardiff owner was booed loudly as he tried to celebrate his club’s victory on the touchline.
Fulham supporters also found their targets after a display which nudges the club closer to the seemingly inevitable drop to the Championship.
Two goals from captain Steven Caulker ended a 445-minute drought for the club and gave manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hope of survival.
But Fulham manager Felix Magath and his players seemed oblivious to the importance of the occasion — until the losers trudged towards their own fans after the final whistle and were sent home with angry disdain ringing in their ears.
Magath’s leadership on this awayday had been a shambles. He bellowed at defender Sascha Riether after the right-back went missing before Caulker’s second goal, a simple header from Jordan Mutch’s corner.
‘I told him he should play on his side — he moved to the left but he is a right-sided player,’ explained Magath.
A few moments later, a shaken Riether turned the ball into his own net under pressure from Fraizer Campbell, after Craig Noone’s cross caused chaos.
Fulham had worked their way back into the match when John Heitinga flicked on a Giorgos Karagounis corner and Lewis Holtby provided the finishing touch. That cancelled out Caulker’s first strike, a tap-in created by a Fabio’s far-post cross and Noone’s half-volley back into the centre.
But Cardiff kept their heads and deserved their victory, giving Solskjaer such a boost that he celebrated as though his team had already avoided relegation. Tan’s mistake was to think he could lead the general rejoicing. That misjudgment almost killed the moment completely.
‘He didn’t try to celebrate — he did celebrate,’ insisted Solskjaer of his boss, as though the reaction was immaterial. ‘We’re all here together, he wants us to succeed. He congratulated me.’
A pantomime villain like Tan probably thinks three points were worth the abuse. He certainly would not trade places with his opposite number, Shahid Khan, who should now begin to plan for the Championship.
It will require a minor miracle to save sad Fulham and their fans began to acknowledge the near-certainty of relegation. ‘You’re going down with the Fulham,’ Londoners warned their hosts. It may yet be true.
Kostas Mitroglou, the £12million flop, could at least point to a lack of match fitness as an excuse for his ineptitude, although Magath seemed to ask questions of his character. ‘He isn’t used to a relegation fight, he is used to winning,’ said the German. As for the fans’ reaction, he added: ‘Sure I understand, we were full of hope for this game, it’s frustrating and I’m disappointed with the players also.’