Fulham boss Parker: We’re coming out other side after Covid-19 outbreak
BY DANIEL MARSH
Scott Parker says that Fulham are “coming out the other side” following the recent Covid-19 outbreak in the squad.
The Whites have seen their last two league fixtures with Tottenham and Burnley postponed following a number of positive Covid-19 tests in the last couple of weeks. This weekend’s derby with QPR in the FA Cup will be Fulham’s first game since their Boxing Day draw with Southampton.
Whites boss Parker revealed that the club’s most recent rounds of testing had been better news ahead of the weekend.
“We’ve had two rounds of testing and been clear, so that’s a big positive. Regarding numbers, I wouldn’t really want to go into details. I think I’ve stuck to that stance since two weeks ago when we had a bit of an outbreak, so we’ve had a considerable amount of players. We’re now coming out the other side of that – players are coming back and moving forward.
“There’s been times where it’s been difficult. The uncertainty of are we playing, are we not playing and the tests that came back positive. But at the same time, it’s been two weeks of hard work and preparing the team and the players we’ve had. We’ve got some real, real good work in, so we’re in a very, very good place in that sense.
“The players have responded very well – working hard, training well, learning from previous games and trying to develop as a team. There’s been a real balance. Of course there’s been a bit of anxiousness around it because of what’s happening. But, at the same time there’s a real positiveness to come of it and we’ve got some good work in.”
With a number of absentees, Fulham have had to adapt their methods due to working with a smaller number of players in the build-up to the game. Parker admits that has inevitably had an effect on the personnel who will be considered for the QPR clash.
“We’ve had to modify things because of where we are as a squad and where the players are. This game is very, very different to what it would have been with a full squad and how we would have managed those players.”
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