Tom Cairney. The embodiment of modern-day Fulham Football Club. Younger fans, like myself, struggle to remember a Fulham side without the skipper. Cairney oozes class on and off the pitch. Some say there is no room for sentimentality in football. I disagree. In a team built for a fourth consecutive cup run, giving Tom Cairney the mere chance to lead London’s Original out at Wembley once more is worth his contract renewal alone. Our biggest legend since the days of Simon Morgan, a tenth season in black and white is something TC has earned – not just in years gone by, but last season alone. Consigning Tom’s potential re-signing to a sentimental signing would be unfair. Let me tell you why…
Even at 34, Cairney’s Magic Is On Display
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Captain Cairney, despite an undeniable loss of a step, has no shortage of quality left in the tank at 34. The back end of last season showed exactly that. Tom’s second heroic Brentford away strike, almost ten years apart from his first, will go down in Fulham folklore. But TC’s all-round performances against Brentford and Manchester City showed Cairney’s ability to dictate a game from the middle of the park is as present today as it was his first season by the River. Cairney’s creative quality is a rarity in a largely industrious Fulham team, and replacing said qualities – as FFC fans know well – is easier said than done. That alone validates a new Cairney contract.
The Skipper, The Dressing Room Leader
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In the midst of a summer that promises much on the banks of the Thames, the familiar face of Tom Cairney would be integral to blending the old with the new. A valuable presence in the dressing room, whilst influential long-standing figures like Stuart Gray, Luis Boa Morte, and possibly Kenny Tete – amongst likely others – recently departing Motspur Park, keeping a successful, positive dressing room structure is key to keeping the Whites on the right track. As captain, Tom Cairney spearheads Fulham’s team spirit. Sign him up.
**A Rallying Presence**
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The utilisation of Tom’s leadership qualities doesn’t end there. The Premier League’s’ second-most points dropped from winning positions – 28 – is a widespread issue for the Cottagers. However, a large portion of the blame should be assigned to Silva’s side’s lack of leaders. TC offers that. In closing stages, Cairney offers reassurance and a clear leadership presence for the squad to rally around.
In a team abundant with soon-to-come younger change, the importance of TC’s knowledge, as a senior pro who knows Marco’s ideas like the back of his hand, shouldn’t be understated. Establishing a solid leadership system, headed up by TC, is essential to the Whites dropping fewer points from winning positions next campaign.
One More Year, One More Year, Tom Cairney
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In short, if it wasn’t clear before, I hope I’ve made no mistake in putting across how paramount Tom’s return is – not just to the fan base, but the squad structure as a whole. With that said, TC’s role shouldn’t be assigned to a near-on player-coaching, dressing room figure. Cairney showed, in a vintage performance at Legoland last May, that the 34-year-old can still go play-for-play with the best of them, coming off the bench. Forget the sentimentality and the way he is revered by this FFC team – one more year, one more year, Tom Cairney.