Fulham manager Jean Tigana tonight demanded his buoyant players keep their feet rooted to the ground and clinch their UEFA Cup second round place in Hajduk, Split come to town in a fortnight.
The Cottagers overcame the competent Croatian side and their vociferous 25,000-strong home support to clinch a vital 1-0 victory in their first round, first leg clash tonight.
But Tigana – no stranger to European success from his time with Monaco – knows the final result at the Poljed Stadium will count for nothing if his team do not finish the job at Loftus Road in two weeks.
He said: “I’m very happy for the club and the fans. This is a big, very important result – but it’s not finished yet and we have to be calm and win the second leg.
“When Split lead, they are very strong. But they didn’t, and that was their problem. We were physically very strong in the second half.
“It was difficult at the start and after 20 minutes, I was a bit worried. But we began to control the game and played very well.
“Edwin Van der Sar made a great save in the first-half and we had chances after Steed Malbranque’s goal through Steve Marlet and Sacundo Sava.”
Van der Sar save, from Darijo Srna’s header in the 29th minute, was certainly a pivotal moment.
The Dutchman made the save and the home teams winger hit the post with his follow up effort.
Malbranque cracked the winner with a solid drive past Split and Croatia goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa five minutes after half time.
Reflecting on one of the best nights of his two-year reign at Fulham Tigana added: “We have improved, but not just since last season.
“I first saw Fulham play more than two years ago – and looking at the side now we have progressed and are a very different team.
“Many players have progressed technically and physically and the difference now is between 30 and 40% in the players.”
Fulham’s hectic start to the season, with their successful Intertoto Cup campaign starting on July 6 – just six days after the World Cup final – has meant the team has had little rest for two and a half months.
But the matches keep coming and the Cottagers face west London rivals Chelsea at Loftus Road on Monday.
And Fulham’s victorious side are back in training at their Motspur Park training ground in south London tomorrow afternoon.
Tigana added: “The players deserve a rest – but they don’t get any when there’s an international game. The derby is now the target.”