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| John Collins |
Fulham Manager Jean Tigana has thrown down the gauntlet to out-of-favour midfielder John Collins by telling him he can win his place back in the first team.
The 35-year-old has been linked with a move when the transfer window reopens in January after becoming disillusioned with life outside of Tigana's plans.
Recently he made it clear that he did not want his career to end playing in the reserves for the Cottagers, but his boss has now told him that recent examples should prove to Collins that there is a route back into the team for players currently out in the cold.
Tigana pointed at the likes of Bjarne Goldbaek, who until recently had also been looking for a move elsewhere but has since played from the start against Dinamo Kiev and Birmingham.
"It's not a problem for me. It's a problem for the players. The decision on their future lies with them," Tigana said.
"John Collins knew what to expect when he came here. It is possible for him to come back and play in the first team like Bjarne Goldbaek. He has done well with the first team recently. I hope John will be the same."