Coleman Signing Hits The Bullseye
Posted by Jasper Reed in Fulham | 29 August 2006
I've never been entirely convinced by Fulham. From the outside they appear to have talent aplenty, but strike me as being a lazy side. Each year they seem to do enough, but no more - never in danger, but never really threatening - and share the division's anonymous tag with my mob from south east London. Last season was typical; outstanding at home, with a win over Chelsea the most notable, but only one team was beaten at the Stadium of Light all year....
This season they were pantsed in their opening game at Old Trafford, and it looked like more of the same for this campaign. It may well prove to be – up front in particular, the North American connection of McBride and Radzinski that finished the game on the weekend looks less than awe inspiring - but there appears to be a missing ingredient, a bit of flair in the middle of the park, in the shape of Jimmy Bullard.
Bullard is one of those players that have come from no-where to take his seat at the top table. He had a blinding year with Wigan and yet eyebrows would no doubt have been raised when Fulham moved quickly to sign him prior to the end of the last campaign for 2.5m. Surely he wasn’t that good...? Having seen him in action this week, against both Bolton and Sheffield United, it's fair to say it was another great bit of business by an increasingly shrewd Chris Coleman.
More than the free kicks and the rasping drives, Bullard has bought personality to the Cottage midfield. He looks like your archetypal 70's maverick, and plays in much the same way. He provides the perfect antidote to the 'professional' war going on being club and the erstwhile star midfielder, a fan’s favourite that can entertain, perform and get the club noticed. Its got me taking more of an interest in them, anyway. Who on earth are Pipex?
