Javi Pereira does not believe Fulham hired Arbeloa for just a few games

“I don’t believe Fulham backed Arbeloa for only six or seven games,” says Javi Pereira. The former Fulham coach is defending the project built around Álvaro Arbeloa as the club struggles for results and sits bottom with two points from a possible 18. Pereira knows the club well: he helped Fulham secure two promotions to the Premier League.

His affection for the institution is clear. “It’s the best club I’ve worked for: a gentlemanly, very family-oriented club that is also highly professional. It takes care of every detail and makes life easier for the coach, so he can focus only on football,” he says. Pereira also describes Fulham as a respected institution and the oldest professional club in London.

He experienced two very different promotions with Fulham. In 2018, he was Jokanovic’s assistant; in 2020, with Scott Parker in charge, he worked with the sporting director’s department. He prefers the first, secured at Wembley against Aston Villa in front of 90,000 spectators in a final dubbed the “£140 million game”. The second came during the COVID-19 pandemic, with very few people in the stands. Pereira also earned another promotion to the Premier League with Watford and Jokanovic in 2015.

In his view, Arbeloa has taken over a transformed Fulham. Pereira says the club was once an elevator team moving between divisions, but has established itself in the Premier League since Maco Silva’s arrival. It has now spent five consecutive seasons there and stayed up with relative ease. Fulham, he argues, is respected not just as an institution but also as a top-flight team.

The start of the campaign has nevertheless been troubling. “The opening weeks have been poor, Fulham are bottom and doubts are emerging. The coach bears responsibility, but I don’t believe the club built this project around Arbeloa for just six or seven games,” Pereira says. He points to the signings of Gonzalo, Palacios and Manuel Ángel, three players Álvaro knew from Real Madrid, as evidence of a project centred on the coach.

Pereira recalls that the team initially played with a high and expansive approach, similar to Arbeloa’s Real Madrid. It conceded three goals at home in each of its first two derbies, against Chelsea (2-3) and then Crystal Palace (2-3). He saw greater solidity afterwards: before the break, Fulham drew with Liverpool (0-0) and Manchester United (1-1). In his assessment, those performances offered more grounds for hope than disappointment.

The 2-1 defeat to newly promoted Ipswich Town, however, halted that progress. Fulham had led 0-1 in the 87th minute. Pereira believes his side was better for 60 minutes, but says the handling of the lead drew criticism. He questioned the substitution of Charles for Manuel Ángel, whom he considers more creative, and stressed the importance of matches against direct rivals.

The immediate schedule is significant: Fulham host Hull before travelling to Coventry. “I would treat the Hull match as a final and not think about Coventry yet. Perhaps something has to change,” Pereira says. He suggests turning to players who know the Premier League better and are more settled within the group, naming Iwobi, Bassey, Andersen, Rodrigo Muniz and Sander Berge.

He also urges patience with the arrivals from Real Madrid. Gonzalo, in his view, is further along, while Palacios and Manuel Ángel had little experience in the top division. Pereira regards all three as good footballers, but says they still need to develop authority and adapt to the pace of the Premier League. He sees them as signings for the medium to long term.

Pereira also reflected on his own experiences and other sides he follows. He describes his time in China as an important career stage, where he encountered a different football culture and experienced a successful project; he says he is looking for an ambitious opportunity where he can make a difference. He was among the candidates to coach China’s national team. He is also keeping an eye on Levante, whose work under Luís Castro he likes, and is optimistic about Alavés since Quique Sánchez Flores arrived.