the Tanner Report: Hull 2 Fulham 1

“Things are going to have to change and sharpish” was Kit Symons’ post match comment. He’s right and what might change first is his job. We have one point out of nine, had we closed our last two games we would have had 3 draws but once again a late goal did for us. Contrast this with Chris Hughton, whom I would have preferred to him for the Fulham position, whose Brighton side has 7 points out of 9 and who strengthened the team with Heuenmeier, Bong and Hemed.

There is no disgrace losing to Hull on a wet Wednesday night. Most teams in the Championship will. No, it’s more the fact that 3 games into the season 4 out of 5 defenders that conceded 83 goals are still there and playing. Kit, a much-loved figure in the Cottage has run out of Stevenage Road cred after a successful period as temporary manager. By criticising his team so publicly now twice post-match he is reaching out to fans with the mantra of “I share your pain”. Fulham fans do not come out this well. Even before Saturday’s debacle one said to me with a note of surprise “You favoured Chris Hughton”. Yes I did. Those fans that clamoured for Kit to such an extent that to appoint anyone else was to reduce the chairman’s already waning popularity have retreated into the undergrowth. Kit will probably get sacked over the next 6 weeks and then there will be the normal messy appointment procedure. A few seniors on the staff will be looking to make the caretaker job permanent, the players will be confused by yet another gaffer, to find one a quarter into the season is not that easy and, if you do, he will be working with someone else’s team and have a ready made excuse for failure. If we miss out this season on promotion I doubt if many of us veterans will see Fulham in the top flight where we started our support. Oh for the days of Mr Al Fayed who was decisive in appointing and sacking ably-backed by a board of Fulham supporters who fed in first rate advice and judgment.