Wrong kind of ‘duff’ decisions cost Fulham

IWAS already 30 when I joined Fulham and still ended up making more league starts for them than any other club. It clicked because Roy Hodgson built a team of good footballers with Premier League knowhow.

One of the important signings was Damien Duff. He was also 30 when he joined from Newcastle, not a financial investment but talented and experienced. His contribution was invaluable, not least helping the younger lads in the team develop, and we reached the Europa League final in his first season.

Fulham wouldn’t have dreamed of signing a Damien Duff last summer. Too old, no resale value. And that recruitment policy is costing them, £100million spent and bottom of the table — too many players learning together and nobody to help them.

It’s a shame because Fulham are close to my heart. So it’s frustrating for me to see the structure they are adopting and I fear for them at Liverpool unless Slavisa Jokanovic has a rethink. If they play open, with the centre-halves split and full-backs pushed up high, they will be destroyed on the turnover, as they were 5-1 against Arsenal.

Jokanovic (right) isn’t blameless but a failed recruitment policy has been the biggest problem. A manager promoted via the play-offs needs players in the top flight who have been there, seen it, done it.

Fulham signed a mixture of newcomers, like JeanMichael Seri and Luciano Vietto, or unproven, such as Calum Chambers and Aleksandar Mitrovic. They either need time to adapt or aren’t good enough. Who is there to get the best out of Ryan Sessegnon, as Gary McAllister did with a young Steven Gerrard at Anfield? You can still organise regardless of quality, as Chris Hughton has got the maximum out of his squad at Brighton. Fulham try to play what they’d see as the right way but there is nothing wrong with a balance. There is a reason they can’t play out as well as they did last season. Their opponents now are better, smarter and know when to press.

As long as the remit is to prioritise value for money on every signing, it won’t work. You need a mix. They need to sign a few Damien Duffs.

ONE thing we learned from Liverpool’s defeat by Red Star Belgrade is how important Roberto Firmino is to the team. He was rested on the bench and by the time he came on, Liverpool were 2-0 down.Firmino is technically good but what he relies on to be at the very top of his game is being physically right because his output is enormous. He is the trigger for all the pressing and his workrate is phenomenal.If he is having a dip, maybe due to tiredness, maybe a couple of aches and pains, you notice it.The good thing is that restoring top physical condition is the easiest thing to work on. It’ll only be temporary for Firmino.