Exclusive: ‘The mood was really down’ – Marco Silva out to create Fulham ‘legacy’ after difficult start at club

Fulham boss Marco Silva, in an exclusive interview with TNT Sports, says he is out to create a “legacy” with the club as he seeks to build on last season’s top-half Premier League finish.

The West London side – who spent 13 straight seasons in the top flight between 2001 and 2014 – have been less of a bona fide Premier League outfit in recent times, but the impressive stewardship of Silva saw them pick up 52 points last term for their 10th-placed finish – a haul the club have only ever bettered once in the Premier League, in 2008/09 with 53 points.

That atmosphere of positivity was, however, a far cry from what Silva found when he took over in July of 2021.

“When I arrived the mood was really down,” he told TNT Sports.

“The club was in a really difficult moment, coming from a season when – all season – they just won five games [in the league]. When you are working so hard for 12 months, and you just are able to win five games you can understand how it’s tough.

“Everybody was really down: fans, players, all the staff.

“Of course the first impact was important, the way we came, the way we lifted [people]. [It was a] great, amazing first season, we got the title for our fans, and of course we knew that was just the first one [season], the second one was going to be even tougher.”

Silva added the likes of Joao Palhinha, Bernd Leno, Willian and Andreas Pereira to his squad in the summer of 2022, and he is clear in how important that was in their subsequent Premier League return.

“We took some important decisions about the squad, the environment around the players as well, to make the club as professional as you can in all the aspects and details,” he said.

“I think we did it brilliantly, because we didn’t spend a big amount of money last season and we signed very, very good players and some made a huge impact in our club.

“One of the things that for me was really important – we kept the same way, our idea, our model, we didn’t change many things just because we did a big step to the Premier League.

“We added some individual quality because we needed some Premier League maturity as well, but we kept the idea. And of course, the belief and ambition to play at this level.

“And we did it brilliantly, the way we finished in the top half of the table. I think we did big steps forward, probably surprised many people.

“But I knew as well that after a brilliant season in the Premier League, the second is probably going to be even worse.

“We have to keep the same focus, the same ambition, and keep improving the club on and off the pitch.”

Silva recently signed a new contract with Fulham that will take him out to 2026 at Craven Cottage.

And looking ahead, the 46-year-old opened up on what he hopes success will look like at the club under his guidance.

“When you are in a club a long time – and this is going to be my third season – you can get titles for the club,” Silva said. “We got an important one in the first season.

“You can leave a legacy inside the club as well. A legacy can come from titles, positions in the table, [it] can be the way to play football, the way to develop the club and the players in all aspects.

“It’s what I would like to leave one day when I leave the club, everyone is going to remember ourselves and our work.

“I would like to leave a legacy. With titles it’s going to be much better, it’s going to be perfect, but you know our reality, you know that we are Fulham, for us to fight for titles you have two chances, they are going to be the cups, you have to be realistic.

“And even the cups, you know that you have probably a big number of clubs more favourite than us to get that title.

“But to know that [we go] game-by-game and we have to look for it with full ambition, I think we have been doing that.

“Legacy for me is really important in many, many aspects – the way to play, the way to develop players and the club, and off the pitch as well, and it’s everything we are doing in this football club.”

Fulham v Manchester United will be live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate with coverage from 11:00 UK time on Saturday, November 4.