MARCO Silva said he would have booed the side if he had been a fan in the stands after his heavily rotated Fulham lost 1-0 at home to Championship Southampton in the fifth round of the FA Cup last weekend.
Despite having only a further nine scheduled games in March, April and May, Silva still made nine changes to the side that had lost 1-0 at home to West Ham United in the Premier League four days previously.
Ross Stewart scored a stoppage-time penalty for Saints and the home side were booed off the pitch after the final whistle.
“I understand all the frustrations,” Siva said in his pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to Nottingham Forest on Sunday. I know that the narrative is going to be about the changes. I said about the players we played in our front line, all the millions we spent and we don’t win that game? Wow. I understand the reaction. I don’t look at social media.
“We didn’t react against West Ham after a great result against Spurs. We didn’t react against Southampton. Now I expect us to stand up. We have to try and be better against Forest, it’s an important game.”
The Cottagers are tenth and can still qualify for Europe this season.
Silva added: “I don’t forget what the expectations were five years ago, four years ago, three, two. I don’t forget. I can go even deeper, I can go ten years or fifteen years ago when I was not here. I love the expectations, I love them – because I put them there myself.”
“If at the beginning of the season I say, ‘it’s just about not getting relegated, to remain in Premier League again’, everyone is going to be happy because we are in the middle of the table, still fighting for Europe. But no, I put the ambition and expectation there because it’s the way I like to manage the football club.
“If you lose a game, you have to expect the frustration from the fans. I repeat again, if I’m there in the stands, I’m probably going to react in the same way. Simple as that.”
Meanwhile, Silva gave updates on two of his key attackers, with forward Raul Jimenez not training after the death of his father.
Silva said: “It is really sad news and a moment for us to support him. He wasn’t in the session this morning and he knows what he needs from myself, from team-mates, staff and the football club, he will get all of the support he needs.
“Harry Wilson is going to be in contention for the game, we have another session and we do have to assess him again.
“We have some doubts if one player will be ready for the game but we don’t want to mention who yet.”
