After the intensity of the two previous League games Fulham played out a largely uneventful 1-0 win on a soggy Saturday at Hull.
City put up a fight, but they had no-one to match Aleksandar Mitrovic. In the 56th minute he nodded home a perfect cross from Neco Williams, thus equalling the record of Brentford’s Ivan Toney by scoring 31 goals in one Championship season.
As Mitro has achieved this by mid-February, what is his next target? I never expected anyone to beat Frank Newton’s FFC record of 43 goals in one season but after nine decades that finally looks within reach.
Denis Odoi
2021-22 is set to make history for Fulham, but one player likely to miss out on the celebrations is Denis Odoi, the Belgian who joined the club in July 2016.
On his debut he instantly endeared himself to the fans by using his back to conjure the ball away from Newcastle’s Paul Dummett and delighted them further with his acrobatic celebration after scoring against Wigan.
Comfortable in any defensive position, Denis was more than a utility player, being both creative and adventurous. Coach Slavisa Jokanovic recognised his worth as a member of the squad surging towards the play-offs.
Disappointed in Odoi’s first season, the team won the 2017-18 play-off semi-final against Derby County, thanks to Ryan Sessegon and the Belgian. Seventeen-year-old Ryan scored the first goal and sent over the corner that a soaring Denis nodded into the corner of the net for the second. The latter goal almost ranks beside Clint Dempsey’s strike against Juventus, for it earned the club a Wembley final.
If Denis had a fault, it was his sensitivity towards perceived injustice. A yellow card at Brentford in December 2017 had appeared to impel him towards earning a second and the resultant dismissal. A similar loss of judgment saw him sent off at Wembley – luckily Aston Villa failed to capitalise.
During the club’s brief sojourn in the Premier League, Jokanovic was replaced by Claudio Ranieri who only lasted four months before yielding to Scott Parker. All three coaches recognised the worth of Denis Odoi but after Parker took the club back to the Premier League he gave the Belgian few chances. This is how Denis coped with the disappointment:
‘We had an endurance running exercise and I ran full out and was still running when everybody had stopped. I wanted to show that even though I might be 33 I’m still one of the fittest in the club... It was about my honour and to show the coach “Look, you might not want to play me but it’s not because of my lack of effort”.’
The arrival of Marco Silva appeared to work in Odoi’s favour and supporters were pleased to see their old favourite in regular action.
On 29 January this year Denis received the accolade (rare for a Fulham player) of a full-page feature in the Times. From conversation with Henry Winter he emerges as a thoughtful and well-rounded human being.
We learn about his upbringing in Belgium, his dedication to his profession and his love for every aspect of Fulham FC. Denis found an ideal perch in Barnes, adding to his vinyl collection at Level Crossing Records and enjoying a post-match drink with his friends, ‘people from different backgrounds, different ages. There’s a British Nigerian who’s a lawyer, some Aussie guys, there’s teachers, investors. It’s very eclectic’.
Three days after the article appeared he signed for Club Brugge KV. Such is professional football. There is an excellent tribute to him on the Hammy End website with additional comments from some of his many admirers.
Like Kevin McDonald (another 2016 signing) his name will be sung by supporters long after his departure - and not just because it fits the Banana Splits’ theme tune.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
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