Harry Wilson backed to help fire Fulham back to the Premier League

BY ALESSANDRO SCHIAVONE

David Healy is adamant that Fulham’s new marquee signing Harry Wilson can spearhead their promotion charge.

The Cottagers achieved safety by the skin of their collective teeth in Healy’s solitary season in west London back in 2008, finishing level on points with relegated Reading thanks to a slightly superior goal difference.

High-flying Fulham parted with £12.6million to land Wilson from Premier League giants Liverpool and for Healy he has the ability to become a household Premier League name in future.

“I like the signings that they made, obviously Harry Wilson, who has ability and technically he’s very good”, said Healy who is currently the head coach of Northern Ireland outfit Linfield FC.

“Probably Harry will eventually go and be a Premier League player, because he’s got all the attributes. He will help Fulham to get where they need to get to this year, to the Premier League. It’s a tough league but it would be great if they get promoted.”

And the shrewd appointment of former Watford and Everton manager Marco Silva could do the rest.

Healy believes that having the Portuguese manager in the dugout is reason for optimism: “The manager who has come in has experience of working in England and get teams where they need to get to. The style of play has always been good at Fulham and again that’s credit to Fulham. But the new manager Marco Silva freshened things up with his new and fresh ideas. I watched Fulham in their first game against Middlesbrough and [they looked good].

Northern Ireland’s all-time record goalscorer also believes that the completion of the new Riverside Stand could be another decisive factor in propelling Fulham back up.

“Craven Cottage is a proper Premier League stadium now. It had a lot of development and a lot of work on it. One thing that Fulham do know, like all the teams that got relegated last year [such as] Sheffield United and West Brom, is that it’s very difficult to come down and go straight back up. But Joachim Anderson is possibly the one they’re going to miss more than anyone else. But I can see Fulham being in the top two or three teams this year.”

Despite bitter relegation from the top-flight term, Healy lauded his opposite number Scott Parker who stepped down as Fulham manager to join fellow promotion chasers Bournemouth in late June.

He said: “Scotty Parker has done a great job last year and to get them promoted in 2020. I thought he did a good job in tough circumstances last year even if they got relegated in the end.”