Scott Parker wants to change Fulham’s mentality and called for greater desire, urgency and togetherness after his team drew 2-2 with Charlton.
The Whites had to twice come back from a goal down at Craven Cottage, with Ivan Cavaleiro cancelling out Conor Gallagher’s opener before Aleksandar Mitrovic levelled after Macauley Bonne’s header.
Fulham boss Parker believes it will take time to change his squad’s mindset from last season but is also pleased with the momentum which has been built in recent weeks.
“I often speak about this team and there is one thing we need to address, and we need to change here, [and that] is the mentality,” he said. “A real desire and a real urgency about us and a togetherness. That takes time.
“This is a team which, three months ago, was used to losing football matches, got relegated and all the negativity what comes around that. There are still some scars along the way and, ultimately, every day we work on a mentality and I see that.
“I want to see a team that represents myself on the sideline. I want to see a desire, a real work ethic and a togetherness and a never-say-die attitude and, certainly, in the second half I felt like I got that.
“The challenge for me, and the challenge for the players, is to keep believing in that. Instead of getting it in bits and drabs, or one 90 minutes here and another there, the next challenge is [that].
“We are a big team in this league and teams are going to come here and pay us a lot of respect and we need to live up to that challenge. Not shirk it, not hide away from it, stand up to it.
“Because I feel that if we stand up to the challenge, what teams bring, our quality will prevail and we will do alright.”
Fulham have now amassed 10 points from a possible 18, and remain in the play-off spots heading into the international break.
Although Parker admits the two-week hiatus may have come back at a bad time, he is also looking forward to the rest before they travel to Stoke City.
“I feel a real shift and a real turn,” he added. “The hangover of last year probably was still [felt in the] early part of the season. There are some new players here who are getting to grips with it, getting us to gel and stuff like that.
“But I feel like momentum is firmly on our way to be fair. Maybe the international break does come at a bit of a bad time for us. It is my job, and the players’, to now reboot. We are 11 games down, I like where we are.
“I think we are a very good side. Like I say, the message keeps coming from me to this team, to these players and the whole football, the fans included, that along the way there are going to be some bumps this year, of course there are, and I am fully aware of that.”
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This post was last modified on 05/10/2019