As long as I’m contributing, feel healthy and I’m happy, I want to stay as long as possible,” Cairney said. “I love this club and the fans, so hopefully I can keep playing for Fulham for many more years to come.”
As long as I’m contributing, feel healthy and I’m happy, I want to stay as long as possible.
Cairney may joke he has only been at the Cottage so long because no one wants him, but his experience and leadership skills will be vital this campaign – he’s been skipper now for the last seven years – even more so after the departures of key first-teamers Tosin Adarabioyo, Tim Ream, Joao Palhinha, Bobby Decordova-Reid and Willian during the summer.
The midfielder played his 300th game in all competitions for Fulham last season, a campaign which saw him score two goals and create four others in 42 matches, a figure he is desperate to better this time around.
Tom Cairney’s Fulham stats in all competitions
Games: 325
Goals: 45
Assists: 36
“I’d love to improve that,” he said.
“Double figures? I suggest.”
“That’s ambitious, but I’d definitely like to add to that,” he said. “My personal point of view was much of last season, when I played, I was really happy and I’m going to keep contributing.”
As for the team itself, Cairney wants Fulham to keep progressing and maintaining themselves as an established Premier League side in what will be their third season back in the top flight.
Under the ambitious Marco Silva, the Cottagers have finished 10th, then 12th last season.
“I always said when I was in the Championship with Fulham that I wanted to be a part of a Fulham squad that became an established Premier League team again,” said Cairney, who scored the winner against Aston Villa in the 2018 Championship play-off final that saw the Cottagers promoted back to the top flight, only to be relegated the following season.
“Like I’m not saying we’re established, but we’ve been back two years and it’s been very enjoyable.”
“I don’t think we got off to the best of starts last year, we lost [Aleksandar] Mitrovic in the summer. But as the season got on, we got stronger, the squad got stronger and it was an enjoyable season.”
“When you’ve been a little bit up and down, sometimes in the league just securing yourself again would be amazing.”
In fact, the Nottingham-born midfielder feels Fulham would have finished even higher last season had they not suffered the heartache of losing 3-2 on aggregate in the Carabao Cup semi-finals to eventual winners Liverpool.
“We were in a bit of a mourning period,” said Cairney. “It was a massive game for us at the club and we came so close against a top team and I feel like we didn’t get over that as quick as we should have done really.”
Cairney, though, wants his team-mates to remember that pain from January and use it as a driving force to go one better this season and try to win a first piece of domestic silverware for the club.
But before that, it is the small matter of United at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ on Friday evening, with all eyes sure to be fixed on this tough-looking Premier League opener on Sky Sports.
The Fulham captain, though, is anything but daunted by the challenge, as they face a team they have had success against in recent seasons – including a dramatic 2-1 win in the league at Old Trafford in February.
“I think everyone watches the opening game of the Premier League on telly,” Cairney said. “It’s a huge game.”