Jokanovic's Fulham face Watford on Saturday, live on Sky Sports
Saturday 22 September 2018 11:28, UK
Fulham spent over £100m on new signings during the summer but can Slavisa Jokanovic find a way to fit the pieces together? Here, he tells Sky Sports about the challenge they are facing in the Premier League.
Slavisa Jokanovic is known for a meticulous approach to his job but he has never worked quite as hard as he is now. The excitement which greeted Fulham's big-spending return to the Premier League has been tempered by a difficult start. Jokanovic has the players, among them a World Cup-winner and a one-time Barcelona target, but can he now turn them into a team?
It is an all-consuming task which demands hours of work on the training pitch and more still off it, but Jokanovic cuts a relaxed figure as he takes a seat in one of the old, wooden stands at Fulham's Motspur Park headquarters. Despite taking just four points from the first five games of the campaign, the stresses of the Premier League do not show on him yet.
"If you observe some other coaches you can see some changes in their face or in their hair, but at the moment I am safe," he tells Sky Sports with a smile. "I am not affected too much, but it's true, this competition is demanding. It is a lot of work in a lot of different areas."
Fulham earned plaudits for the manner of their promotion last season, their attractive, passing style showing there is another way of succeeding in the Championship, but the summer overhaul was comprehensive. Andre Schurrle and Jean-Michael Seri were among 12 new signings. The investment delighted Jokanovic but it has brought him challenges, too.
"We showed ambition," he says. "We made important investment. I need to see how they adapt themselves for the next level, but the other side of this situation is that it can bring you some problems. You need to adapt these players to the way you want to play football but you don't have time for working with the team."
Five of the new faces only arrived on Deadline Day, meaning they missed the whole of Fulham's pre-season campaign. "You have to find opportunities to check on these players in competition because you don't have time to check many of them during pre-season," says Jokanovic. "But okay, it's part of the process. We must adapt, be optimistic and move forward."
Jokanovic's optimism is unshaken but he is aware that time is not a luxury afforded to many Premier League managers - least of all those in the bottom half of the table. "You need time but how much? Some coaches talk about years, but we are a completely new team and we need an express process. We need something fast because we don't have that time."
Jokanovic took some of his players on a warm-weather training camp in Spain earlier this month, but for the most part it has been a case of learning on the job. Saturday's 3-0 loss to Manchester City showed the size of the task ahead, but while it was a galling experience, Jokanovic hopes it will also serve as a valuable lesson for his youthful squad.
"To play against one of the best teams in the world is a great experience for all the players," he says. "At the moment we are a five-game old Premier League team. We definitely need more experience like this. David Silva celebrated 350 games against us, so he has adapted a little bit more than my team. We have to accept this situation and try to close the gap."
The defeat at the Etihad Stadium raised questions of Jokanovic's devotion to attacking football, but he is determined to make it work in the top flight and the season has not been without encouragement. Fulham were brilliant at times during their 4-2 win over Burnley last month. According to Opta, only Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Wolves have created more scoring chances.
The problems lie at the other end of the pitch. Jokanovic has chopped and changed his defence this season and performances have suffered. Their total of 12 goals conceded is the highest in the division and no side has faced more shots on target. Jokanovic, though, is confident of striking the right balance without sacrificing his principles.
"Why not be brave?" he says.
"In football, after being defeated, no plan is good. People are asking if we can be a little bit more pragmatic. For me, being pragmatic is being brave and showing what you believe is the best way to win the game. I don't believe the solution is to be scared, to wait for one chance, score one goal and win the game 1-0. I find the best way for my team."
Aleksandar Mitrovic has been Fulham's standout player so far, scoring four goals in five appearances since making his move from Newcastle permanent in the summer. Jokanovic describes his fellow Serb as a "leader" and a "big personality" in the dressing room, but he regards Ryan Sessegnon, the youngest member of his squad, as similarly important.
The 18-year-old has made a mixed start to life in the Premier League. Expectations could hardly be higher around the thrilling young talent from the club's academy, but he dropped out of the team against Burnley and Brighton and Jokanovic is careful not to push him too hard.
"It is a new experience for him," he says. "He has come from one level to another. It's not time to rest, it's time to continue with this learning process. He must understand the difference between the Championship and the Premier League. It's a huge experience for him, all the minutes he is getting. We must be calm with him and give him space to grow up. He's a little bit more experienced now but there's huge space for him to reach his best level."
For Jokanovic, who has managed in six different countries during a colourful coaching career, the Premier League is the level he has long strived for. It seemed he had got there when he guided Watford to promotion in 2015, but his sudden departure that summer delayed him by three years. It was a long wait but there are no hard feelings.
"All my memories from Watford are positive," he says. "It was a successful time for me and for Watford, too. People showed me a lot of respect, so I must respect the club, the players, the owner, too. The memories are really great. I'm pleased to have had the opportunity to work there but now my connection is here."
Quite how long Jokanovic will stay at Fulham remains to be seen. This is his third full season at the club but his contract is due to expire at the end of it and his previous experiences have taught him to take nothing for granted. "I am thinking like I will stay here for 10 years but what will happen in the future I don't know," he says. "In our job, you find different situations."
Besides, Jokanovic has enough to worry about as it is. Can he find a way to maximise Fulham's potential? Can he mould his new-look squad into a team that plays in his image? And can he do it all against the club who let him go? The hard work continues at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
Watch Fulham v Watford live on Sky Sports Premier League HD from 11.30am on Saturday
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