Stefan Johansen has seen Fulham achieve promotion to the Premier League on two occasions since arriving at Craven Cottage in 2016.
The Cottagers didn’t hand the midfielder regular opportunities in the top flight during the 2018/19 campaign and he was not included in the Premier League squad for this season.
Having been restricted to opportunities only in the EFL Cup, the 30-year-old joined Queens Park Rangers on a loan deal in January.
The Norway international admits feeling helpless after Scott Parker decided not to count on him at Fulham.
“When you feel that you have contributed quite a lot to get up there, it is incredibly hard not to be a part of it, but I have done what I can and then it is up to the manager,” he told TV2.
“Unfortunately, this is how it is sometimes, and if he prefers someone else, then there is not much you can do with it, you just have to live with it.”
“Then there’s just going to have to be a little devil in you, and then you’ll have to show it in other ways that you want to be there. And if you get the chance first, you have to contribute what you can and take care of it.”
“It has been a tough situation, of course. It was a bit like that again with the way it was last time. You feel you have been an important contributor to get them up in the Premier League, so it will be a bit the same again with them bringing in lots of new players. It was, of course a silly thing.”
Johansen has made five starts in the Championship and has already scored once for Mark Warburton’s side. A loan move to QPR has allowed the Fulham player to continue in London and also get opportunities to play regular football.
“It was a pretty strong wish for me to get away from there with the situation that was. I’m at an age where I feel I have a lot to give and I had to play football again. It was the most important thing in that context,” the midfielder explained.
“You have a family solution where you have a daughter who goes to school and things like that, so it was really ideal with QPR.”
“We get to stay in the same place, it only takes five to ten minutes longer and it is a traditional club that has a big name in England. It fit perfectly, both in terms of theirs and my situation.”
Johansen’s temporary stay with QPR is only until the end of this season and after that, he will have to return to Fulham, where he still has a contract until 2022. The Norwegian was honest in admitting he isn’t sure as to what’s in store for him beyond this term.
“It is very uncertain, if I am to be completely honest. I have one year left on my contract, but I do not know. I’ve got some mix signals. I have received signals from the club that they may want to take me on, so it will be a process when you return,” the Fulham owned man said.
“But I want to play football and I still feel that I have a lot to contribute, so not being intended near a match squad will probably be out of the question. Then it will be enough to see if you find something else.”
The player, however, has ruled out a return to Norway.
“No, I don’t think so. I love England. I think there’s a fantastic culture around the football here, just see how much it means to people. I think it’s a lot of fun to be a part of. You get used to the culture and life around football. Both me and my family enjoy it, so we don’t plan on Norway right away,” he concluded.
