Premiership: Fulham toast top-flight survival

Fulham assistant-manager Christian Damiano insists the club has had a successful year, even though lofty pre-season predictions of a top-six spot have not been fulfilled.

The Londoners embark on their final two games against Leicester and Blackburn knowing they will be temporarily taking top-flight football back to Loftus Road next year while Craven Cottage is being rebuilt.

Damiano, manager Jean Tigana's right-hand man, said: ‘‘The English championship is the best in the world and Fulham had not been in it for 33 years.

‘‘It was presumptuous of people to say we would get into the top six because the whole season has been a discovery for us.

‘‘Now we can relax going into the last couple of games and play with a free spirit.’’

That may yet result in an unlikely European spot, should the Cottagers overhaul Aston Villa and Everton and claim an Intertoto Cup place.

A short summer break is hardly the ideal preparation for a new Premiership campaign, but having recorded a British record annual loss of £23.3million, Damiano can hardly complain.

‘‘I am not in a position to speak about the financial side but I do know you need a big squad to compete with the top clubs,’’ said Damiano.

‘‘You are looking at something like 24 international class players because when you watch the World Cup final, there will probably be some opposition players in each team.

‘‘We have stayed in the Premier League and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, so it has been quite a good season.’’