Fulham captain Tom Cairney is raring to go for the new season after the “longest break I’ve had off in a long time.”
“I did a lot of travelling, seeing friends, a few weddings, but it’s nice to be back,” Cairney told Sky Sports ahead of the Cottagers’ Premier League opener at Man Utd on Friday Night Football.
Cairney is set to lead his side out at Old Trafford for the start of what will be his 10th season at the club after agreeing a 12-month contract extension in January that keeps him at Craven Cottage until next summer, when he will have reached the grand old age of 34.
Friday 16th August 6:30pm
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That prospect does not worry Cairney, who has no intentions of this being his final campaign in west London.
Tom Cairney signed a new deal in January that keeps him at Fulham until next summer
“I’m thinking much longer than that,” he said. “I think football has changed, the way people look after themselves, players seem to be playing a lot longer.
“I watched the Euros and you saw Pepe was playing at 41. It’s insane some people are doing that now. James Milner is an amazing example. There’s many, many more.
I’ve signed a contract extension to the end of this season. This is where I want to be, where I’m enjoying it, where my life is. As long as I’m contributing, feel healthy and I’m happy, I want to stay as long as possible.
“I’ve signed a contract extension to the end of this season. This is where I want to be, where I’m enjoying it, where my life is. As long as I’m contributing, feel healthy and I’m happy, I want to stay as long as possible.”
Cairney may joke he has only been at the Cottage so long because “no one wants me”, but his experience and leadership skills will be vital this campaign – he’s been skipper now for the last seven years – even more so after the departures of key first-teamers Tosin Adarabioyo, Tim Ream, Joao Palhinha, Bobby Decordova-Reid and Willian during the summer.
The midfielder played his 300th game in all competitions for Fulham last season, a campaign which saw him score two goals and create four others in 42 matches, a figure he is desperate to better this time around.
“I’d love to improve that,” he said.
“Double figures?” I suggest.
“That’s ambitious, but I’d definitely like to add to that,” he said. “My personal point of view was much of last season, when I played, I was really happy and I’m going to keep contributing.”
Tom Cairney wants to improve of just his solitary Premier League goal last season
As for the team itself, Cairney wants Fulham to keep progressing and maintaining themselves as an established Premier League side in what will be their third season back in the top flight.
Under the ambitious Marco Silva, the Cottagers have finished 10th, then 12th last season.
“I always said when I was in the Championship with Fulham that I wanted to be a part of a Fulham squad that became an established Premier League team again,” said Cairney, who scored the winner against Aston Villa in the 2018 Championship play-off final that saw the Cottagers promoted back to the top flight, only to be relegated the following season.
“Like I’m not saying we’re established, but we’ve been back two years and it’s been very enjoyable.
Cairney scored the winner against Aston Villa in the 2018 Championship play-off final
“I don’t think we got off to the best of starts last year, we lost [Aleksandar] Mitrovic in the summer. But as the season got on, we got stronger, the squad got stronger and it was an enjoyable season.
“When you’ve been a little bit up and down, sometimes in the league just securing yourself again would be amazing.”
In fact, the Nottingham-born midfielder feels Fulham would have finished even higher last season had they not suffered the heartache of losing 3-2 on aggregate in the Carabao Cup semi-finals to eventual winners Liverpool.
“We were in a bit of a mourning period,” said Cairney. “It was a massive game for us at the club and we came so close against a top team and I feel like we didn’t get over that as quick as we should have done really.”
Cairney, though, wants his team-mates to remember that pain from January and use it as a driving force to “go one better this season” and try to win a first piece of domestic silverware for the club.
But before that, it is the small matter of United at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ on Friday evening, with all eyes sure to be fixed on this tough-looking Premier League opener on Sky Sports.
The Fulham captain, though, is anything but daunted by the challenge, as they face a team they have had success against in recent seasons – including a dramatic 2-1 win in the league at Old Trafford in February.
“I think everyone watches the opening game of the Premier League on telly,” Cairney said. “It’s a huge game. We had an amazing day out at Old Trafford last season.
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the Premier League clash between Manchester United and Fulham
“I think we’ve really played well against Manchester United over the last couple of years under Marco. We had the famous FA Cup game where there was quite a lot of drama [Fulham losing 3-1 and having two players sent off]. It’s always been an entertaining game against United.
“Listen, any player loves going to Old Trafford, it’s a huge, huge club. We’ve enjoyed our time there and hopefully there’s another one.”
Cairney feels playing United on their own patch, where they will be expected to take the game to Fulham, as well as in the first match of the season, when they have been slow to start in both campaigns with Erik ten Hag in charge, could play to their advantage.
“It can help sometimes if you’re away from home,” he said. “Listen, I’m sure Man Utd feel the pressure to attack and to win home games at Old Trafford.
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Having won 2-1 at Old Trafford in February, Fulham boss Marco Silva is hopeful they can repeat the trick when they face Manchester United in the opening Premier League game of the season on Friday
“That’s just naturally being a big club in the Premier League. That’s what the fans want, that’s what they demand, I suppose. But it can help you in some ways and can also be detrimental in other ways if they’re firing on all cylinders.
“But hopefully they’re not on the first game of the season. I mean, they started slowly in their last two seasons.”
Cairney, who came on as a second-half substitute in that “memorable” victory at United six months ago when Alex Iwobi’s 97th-minute strike stunned Old Trafford, says Fulham will travel north full of belief they can produce a repeat performance.
“Yeah, I came on when we were 1-0 up and they equalised!” he said. “It was a memorable day out at Old Trafford. I think it was some 30-odd years since we’d won there. It was definitely one of the most memorable days of my season.
“We won’t fear going there. We’ll respect them, of course. I think they’re going to get off to a good start. But we’ll go there like we always do – Marco will set us up and he never goes to be too defensive.
“We’ll go there and try to score and win the game. It’ll be a good game.”
Watch Man Utd vs Fulham on Friday Night Football from 6.30pm on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event
