Marco Silva proved himself the second-best Fulham manager of the past half-century – but he was so nearly the greatest
15.07.26, 17:21 Updated 11.08.26, 11:39 10 Minute Read
Dave Kidd
When Marco Silva was appointed as Fulham’s new manager in 2021, I messaged a footballer who had played for him and asked for his opinion.
“One of the best coaches I’ve worked for,” replied the player, “but he won’t hang around for long.”
Fast forward five years and Silva has just completed a tenure which made him the longest-serving Fulham boss of my not-inconsiderable lifetime. Not since Bedford Jezzard, more than 60 years earlier, had anyone inhabited the Cottage hotseat for as long as the Portuguese did.
So the player I messaged turned out to be wrong but Silva’s CV would have backed him up - even if his reputation for itchy feet was slightly overstated. He had been harshly sacked at Everton after his brief spells at Hull and Watford, preceded by one-season stays at Olympiacos and Sporting Lisbon.
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Dave Kidd has been a leading journalist for three decades and was Chief Sports Writer on four national newspapers. As a Fulham fan of 45 years and a season-ticket holder on the Hammersmith End, he will deliver the highest quality coverage of the Club, with the passion of a true fan and the insight of an elite sports writer.