Young team still developing, says Magath

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A defiant Felix Magath asked fans to give his young Fulham side time to gel after they earned their first point of the season against Cardiff.

Fulham led at the break through Tim Hoogland’s header midway through a first half they dominated.

But Cardiff equalised out of the blue 10 minutes into the second period as the predatory Kenwyne Jones pounced and there were murmurs of discontent around Craven Cottage at the final whistle.

Magath described the first 45 minutes as the best performance of the season so far but was frustrated his side let the lead slip.

He said: “We had chances to make more goals. But it happens all the time that if you are playing very well but not scoring it’s often that you concede a goal.

“After that Cardiff stepped back and defended very well.

“It is a pity when you play so well in the first half and you get only one point.

“But we showed everybody that we are developing. We took control of the game against a very good team and one of the favourites for the Championship.”

Magath acknowledged his position had come under scrutiny after relegation from the Premier League and a winless start after the first five games of this season.

But he insisted he was still the right man to lead Fulham up the table and predicted they could still get promoted back to the top flight.

He said: “Last year we were relegated and now at the beginning of the season we are down again in the bottom [of the table]. I can understand the fear of the fans.

“I’m not glad about this but we have a new situation. It was necessary for this club to start again from the beginning.

“I have a lot of young players in my team. I have taken six players out of the academy.

“I am trying to bring these players out of the academy and into the Premier League.

We have had a very tough schedule. I am not happy we have only one point but I am [still] sure we are able to be promoted at the end of the season.”

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