Fulham midfielder João Palhinha today gave a long interview to Eleven Sports, and had a lot to say about his first few months playing for the Whites.
The 27-year-old made it clear that the relationship with manager Marco Silva is one of the most positive elements of his start at the Craven Cottage side, claiming he’s had big help from the coach in his adaptation to English football.
“It’s my first experience outside my country. Marco and I are very comfortable communicating. He shows me a lot of videos of what he wants from me, of what he wants me to keep improving and that helps a lot,” Palhinha told Eleven Sports (via Record).
“I think it’s been a key role he’s had with me, and if I’m growing and getting noticed it’s also thanks to him. In fact, I also feel better since I got here and that’s also thanks to the work he and the team behind him has been doing with me. I hope to help in the same way.”
Speaking of featuring in the Premier League, Palhinha talked about how glad he is to be here, claiming he’s happy with what he’s been able to show at Fulham.
“All the games we’ve had so far, we could both lose and win, even when we played against the top teams in the Premier. For example, with both Arsenal and Tottenham, we felt we could have won too. There were games we won and that we also feel that maybe it could have gone the other way, and that’s what also makes this league so magical. But, speaking for myself personally, I’m very pleased with the league, above all also with the respect and affection that people already show they have for me. This all moves me and has a lot of involvement with me when I go into the field.”
Palhinha also spoke about the national team and the chances he has of going to the World Cup this year. He says he’ll continue doing his best for Fulham so manager Fernando Santos can make the best decision.
“It’s a goal, but it’s always dependent on the work I do here. So I want to continue doing my job, as I’ve been doing, and for the rest, mister Fernando Santos will know what’s best for the national team. Now, at this moment, in which we are a month and a half away from the World Cup, I’m simply focused on these important games that we are going to have with Fulham, on these real finals that we have ahead of us.”
Since joining Fulham in a €20m transfer from Sporting this summer, Palhinha was a starter in all the Premier League games the Whites had, apart from the one against Newcastle, from which he was suspended.
